The Kremlin on Wednesday signaled President Vladimir Putin’s willingness to pursue a diplomatic resolution to the ongoing war in Ukraine, but cautioned that the complex nature of the conflict makes rapid progress unlikely, despite mounting pressure from Washington.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters that “the [Russian] president remains open to political and diplomatic methods of resolving this conflict,” adding that intense dialogue is ongoing between Moscow and the United States. However, he emphasized that the situation is too complicated for the swift resolution the U.S. desires.
While former U.S. President Donald Trump—who has long touted his desire to be remembered as a global peacemaker—has repeatedly pushed for an end to the war, Washington is reportedly growing frustrated with the lack of progress between Moscow and Kyiv. The conflict, now in its fourth year, remains the deadliest land war in Europe since World War II.
Peskov noted that President Putin had expressed openness to direct talks with Ukraine, but said that there had yet to be a response from Kyiv.
In response, Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Ukraine was ready to engage in peace negotiations “in any format,” provided Russia commits to an unconditional ceasefire.
Putin has previously said he supports the idea of talks in principle, but insisted that several practical details must be resolved before any ceasefire can be reached.
Despite reiterating a preference for a peaceful settlement, the Kremlin maintained that Russia’s strategic objectives in the conflict must ultimately be achieved—by diplomacy or otherwise.
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