Vladimir Putin says all Ukraine peace proposals remain on the table, but Russia will first assess what settlement would best serve its interests, Russian news agencies have reported.
The Russian president told journalists that the Kremlin had been prepared to resume negotiations with Ukraine after last week’s parliamentary elections. He claimed, however, that Ukraine had launched attacks on Moscow and struck polling stations.
Putin accused Ukraine of carrying out provocative attacks and warned that it would face a sustained Russian response.
“They are the ones who started it. Everywhere, on every front. Are these playthings, child’s play?” he said.
“They should therefore be made to feel Russia’s retaliatory strikes and understand that no provocative actions, no stirring up the situation to secure a result will work. They’re only making things worse for themselves.”
Putin said the alleged attacks had prompted Ukraine’s calls for a ceasefire and a return to talks. “They are all on the table. It’s all possible,” he said.
“But after everything they have done, we will still have to think carefully about what we need to do in response.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Friday that he had asked US President Donald Trump to urge Chinese President Xi Jinping to use his influence to persuade Russia to end the war.
Mr Zelenskiy also said the United States was pressing for three-way discussions involving US, Ukrainian and Russian delegations. Officials are holding technical talks in that format, he said, without the countries’ leaders taking part.
