Putin says talks with Ukraine possible, but not with Zelensky

MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday that his country could hold peace talks with Ukraine, but ruled out speaking directly with President Volodymyr Zelensky, whom he called “illegitimate”.

The Ukrainian leader responded by saying that Putin was “afraid” of negotiations and was using “cynical tricks” to prolong the nearly three-year conflict.

US President Donald Trump has put pressure on both sides to end the fighting since assuming office on January 20, threatening tougher sanctions on Russia while claiming that Zelensky is ready to negotiate a “deal”.

“If (Zelensky) wants to participate in the negotiations, I will allocate people to take part,” Putin said, calling the Ukrainian leader “illegitimate” because his presidential term expired during martial law.

“If there is a desire to negotiate and find a compromise, let anyone lead the negotiations there… Naturally, we will strive for what suits us, what corresponds to our interests,” he added.

Zelensky said that there was a chance to achieve “real peace” but that the Kremlin chief was frustrating efforts to stop the fighting.

“Today, Putin once again confirmed that he is afraid of negotiations, afraid of strong leaders, and does everything possible to prolong the war,” Zelensky wrote on X.

Kyiv has warned against it being excluded from any peace talks between Russia and the US, accusing Putin of wanting to “manipulate” Trump.

‘Fighting ends in two months’

Putin also claimed the fighting would end in two months or less if the West cut its support to Kyiv.

“They will not exist for a month if the money and, in a broad sense, the bullets run out. Everything would be over in a month and a half or two,” Putin said in comments to a state TV reporter.

The conflict has shown no signs of de-escalating despite Trump’s promise to enact a quick ceasefire once in office.

Russia said Wednesday it had downed more than 100 Ukrainian drones in an overnight attack, while Kyiv’s military said Moscow had launched an overnight drone attack of its own.

Russia’s army said Tuesday that its forces had captured a large village in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region, the latest territorial gain for Moscow’s advancing troops.

The village, located across the strategic Oskil river, was seized by Moscow at the start of its full-scale military offensive in 2022, before being retaken by Kyiv months later in a swift counter-offensive.

Ukrainian military bloggers, with links to the defence ministry, also said Russian forces were advancing on the flanks of Chasiv Yar, a strategic hilltop town that was home to around 12,000 people before the conflict.

Ukraine’s army has been pushed back over the past year, outgunned and outmanned by Russia’s troops across the 1,000-kilometre (600-mile) front line.

Ukraine’s government dismissed a deputy defence minister in charge of weapons purchases on Tuesday, after the defence minister accused him of having “failed” to ensure the “timely supply of ammunition” to soldiers.