Kremlin claims Putin ready for talks with Zelensky "if necessary"

Peskov told this to reporters on Tuesday, Ukrinform reports citing The Guardian.

“Putin himself said that he would be ready to negotiate with Zelensky if necessary but the legal basis of agreements needs discussion considering the reality that Zelensky’s legitimacy can be questioned,” Peskov noted.

Regarding Ukraine’s potential membership in the European Union, Peskov, quoted by Reuters, acknowledged that it is a sovereign right of any country.

“We are talking about integration and economic integration processes. And here, of course, no one can dictate anything to any country, and we are not going to do that,” he said.

However, he made a clear distinction between Ukraine’s EU aspirations and its potential entry into NATO, reaffirming Russia’s opposition to the latter: “There is a completely different position, of course, on security-related issues related to defense or military alliances.”

As previously reported by Ukrinform, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, negotiations have begun between a U.S. delegation and Russian officials, focusing on ending the war in Ukraine.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held a preliminary meeting. Other American officials present include National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff.

On the Russian side, Putin’s aide Yuriy Ushakov and Head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund Kirill Dmitriev, who previously played a key role in negotiating the release of prisoners held in the U.S., were in attendance.

Commenting on the situation, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has asserted that Putin is afraid of engaging in direct negotiations with Ukraine, as he sees such talks as a sign of weakness and defeat.