Russia has welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s stated willingness to negotiate for peace, calling it a “positive” step.
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But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov questioned the practicality of such talks, noting that Zelensky had legally barred negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin through a decree he signed in 2022.
“So, in general, the approach is positive, but the nuances have not yet changed,” Peskov said. “For the time being, there’s still a legal ban on the president of Ukraine negotiating with the Russian side.”
Zelensky said on Tuesday he was ready to work under US President Donald Trump’s “strong leadership” to achieve a lasting peace in Ukraine, days after their explosive Oval Office meeting in which Zelensky called Putin a “killer and terrorist.”
The fiery exchange led to Trump to pause US military aid to Ukraine as a pressure tactic to get him to move toward a quick end to the war launched by Russia.
Peskov also responded to Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko’s offer to host negotiations in Minsk, calling it “the best place” due to Belarus being Russia’s “most important ally.”
However, Ukraine views Belarus as a warring party, given its role in facilitating Russian military actions, making such a venue unlikely.
Russian authorities have regularly questioned the legitimacy of Zelensky’s presidency, arguing that his mandate expired in May 2024 after five years in office. According to Ukrainian law, elections cannot be held during martial law, which was introduced after Russian forces invaded the country in February 2022.
Trump has pledged to swiftly end Russia’s war against Ukraine. Since taking office in January, he has sought to reset relations with Russia, held a tense White House meeting with Zelensky and stunned U.S. allies by pausing military aid to Ukraine.
Peskov praised the U.S. military aid freeze as a “solution which could really push the Kyiv regime toward a peace process.”
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