The Russian president also does not reject the idea of a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, “but only if we reach an agreement on a lasting peace”
Russian President Vladimir Putin admitted this Saturday that the war in Ukraine could be close to ending.
“I think things (war in Ukraine) are coming to an end,” said the Russian leader during a press conference.
At the same event, Putin also did not reject the idea of a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, “but only if we reach an agreement on a lasting peace.”
The Russian president also appeared to place Donald Trump on the sidelines of the negotiation process. Although he thanked the US for facilitating talks between the two parties, Putin warned that the matter was to be discussed “only between Russia and Ukraine”.
As for a meeting with Zelensky, Putin explained that he was informed by Robert Fico, Prime Minister of Slovakia, of the Ukrainian president’s availability for that meeting. In this sense, he stated, the meeting could end up taking place in a third country.
“I heard [de Robert Fico] once again that the Ukrainian side, Mr. Zelensky, is willing to hold a personal meeting, but this is not the first time we have heard this,” said the Russian president.
Putin also showed openness to a dialogue between Russia and Europe and even appointed who will be his preferred mediator: Gerhard Schroeder, German chancellor between 1998 and 2005, who after leaving office worked for several Russian state companies, such as Gazprom and Rosneft.
Putin’s statements were made on Victory Day, a holiday that marks the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany at the end of the Second World War, and usually marked by a military parade on Red Square in Moscow.
During the week, Ukraine threatened several times to attack the parade, with Zelensky saying he “would not recommend” anyone’s presence in Moscow this Saturday. However, this Friday, the US president announced a three-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, to be observed from Saturday to Monday.
“This request was made directly by me, and I am very grateful for the acceptance by President Vladimir Putin and President Volodymyr Zelensky. I hope this is the beginning of the end of a very long, bloody and hard-fought war,”
Before the American leader’s announcement, Zelensky and Putin had each declared a ceasefire for this period.
