**Russia Ready for Ukraine Talks, But With Conditions**
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on January 24 that Russia is ready to talk with US President Donald Trump about ending the war in Ukraine.
Putin claimed that if Trump’s 2020 election victory hadn’t been disputed, there might not have been a crisis in Ukraine. He also said that Russia has never refused contact with the US administration and had a good relationship with Trump.
However, Putin pointed out that Ukrainian President Zelensky had signed a decree after Russia annexed four Ukrainian regions, declaring negotiations with Putin impossible while leaving the door open to discussions under different leadership.
“How can negotiations be resumed if they are officially banned?” Putin asked.
**Ukraine Refuses Talks With Putin**
The move reflected Ukraine’s refusal to engage with Moscow while Putin remains in power. This is because Kyiv sees any peace talks as a chance to uphold its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Ukraine’s Presidential Office head Andriy Yermak dismissed Putin’s remarks, accusing him of trying to sideline Europe in any talks. “Putin wants to negotiate the fate of Europe – without Europe,” Yermak said.
**Russia Wants US to Recognize Its Interests**
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov echoed Putin’s comments and said that dialog with Trump could be recovered if the US recognizes Russia’s interests. However, he also expressed dissatisfaction with Trump’s team’s reported peace proposals on December 29, particularly the idea of freezing hostilities along the current line of contact.
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