**Russia Open to Direct Talks with Ukraine, Putin Claims**
In a significant development, Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed his willingness to hold direct talks with Ukraine to advance a ceasefire deal. This comes as the Kremlin announced that Russia is open to discussing any proposed peace initiatives.
For months now, there have been no direct talks between Russia and Ukraine since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. However, with tensions escalating, Putin’s comments suggest that Russia may be softening its stance on negotiations with Kyiv.
“We have always talked about this, that we have a positive attitude towards any peace initiatives,” Putin said in an interview with a Russian state television journalist. “We hope that representatives of the Kyiv regime will feel the same way.”
Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov later clarified that Putin’s comments were aimed at signaling Russia’s willingness to hold direct talks with Ukrainian representatives.
**Ukraine Still Waiting for Response**
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has proposed a joint 30-day ceasefire on long-range missile and drone strikes against civilian infrastructure. However, Russia has yet to agree to impose the ban, despite claiming openness to “peace initiatives.”
Zelensky said on April 21 that he was still waiting for an answer from Russia regarding the proposed ceasefire.
**US Pressure Ramps Up**
U.S. President Donald Trump has also ramped up pressure on Ukraine and Russia to secure a ceasefire in the coming days. After threatening to pull U.S. support from the peace process altogether, Trump told reporters on April 21 that there is a “very good chance” of a ceasefire agreement soon.
However, this “good chance” may come at the expense of painful concessions for Ukraine. According to documents obtained by the Wall Street Journal, the US plan to end the war includes recognition of Russia’s annexation of Crimea and a guarantee that Ukraine would not join NATO.
These are key Kremlin demands that conflict with both Ukraine’s stated red lines and international law.
**Peace Talks Continue**
Ukrainian representatives will meet with officials from the U.S., U.K., and France for another round of peace talks in London on April 23. The London negotiations are a follow-up to the recent talks in Paris, where senior members of the Trump administration first presented the US ceasefire proposal to Ukrainian and European officials.
Zelensky has previously said that he is willing to meet directly with Putin if it helps bring an end to Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine.
The question now remains whether Russia will agree to hold direct talks with Ukraine, and what concessions might be made in order to secure a ceasefire.
