Russian President Vladimir Putin has reiterated Moscow's willingness to engage in negotiations regarding the Ukraine conflict. Speaking on Friday, Putin emphasized that Russia remains open to discussions aimed at resolving the Ukrainian issue.
However, Putin highlighted a significant hurdle: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's decree that prohibits such talks. \"How can negotiations be resumed now when they have been banned?\" Putin questioned, stressing that under Ukraine's current legal framework, any negotiations would be deemed illegitimate.
He further explained that as long as the decree remains in effect, initiating or concluding meaningful negotiations would be challenging. While some preliminary discussions might take place, serious talks are likely to encounter substantial obstacles due to the Ukrainian ban. Putin accused Zelenskyy of delaying the removal of the decree, suggesting that the Ukrainian leader is acting under pressure from his sponsors. He called on those funding Kiev to urge President Zelenskyy to lift the ban.
In a related development, during his speech at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos on Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump expressed optimism about the prospects of a peace settlement between Russia and Ukraine. Trump stated that efforts to secure a deal are \"hopefully underway\" and added that Ukraine is prepared to reach an agreement.
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Putin open to Ukraine talks, cites Zelenskyy's ban as barrier
cgtn.com
