Moscow said on Monday, April 28th, that it was ready to start peace talks with Ukraine without any preconditions, state media reported, after U.S. President Donald Trump questioned Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s willingness to halt the three-year offensive.
“The Russian side has repeatedly confirmed its readiness, as confirmed by the president, to begin negotiations with Ukraine without any preconditions,” spokesman Dmitry Peskov told state media.
Peskov also said that recognition of Moscow’s claims over five Ukrainian regions including Crimea were “imperative” to resolving the conflict.
Since launching its Ukraine offensive in February 2022, Russia has seized large parts of four Ukrainian regions and claimed them as its own, in addition to Crimea, which it annexed in 2014.
Ukraine has denounced the annexations as illegal land grabs and says it will never recognise them.
Earlier, on Sunday, Donald Trump said he believed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was ready to concede Crimea to Russia as part of any ceasefire deal.
His comments came a day after he met Zelensky during the funeral of Pope Francis.
Trump also stepped up pressure on Vladimir Putin, saying the Russian president should “stop shooting” and sign an agreement to end the grinding war.
“I want him to stop shooting, sit down, and sign a deal,” Trump said.
