Putin Expresses Willingness for Direct Peace Talks with Ukraine

• Vladimir Putin proposes direct discussions with Kyiv.
• Announces that hostilities resumed after a 30-hour ceasefire.
• Russia and Ukraine blame each other for breaking the truce.

MOSCOW: In a response to increased pressure from Washington for a peaceful resolution in Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested on Monday the possibility of direct talks with Kyiv for the first time in years. He also expressed willingness to consider additional ceasefires following a one-day Easter truce.

Putin reported that fighting had resumed after he declared a surprise 30-hour ceasefire on Saturday, a decision he made unilaterally. Both Ukraine and Russia accused one another of breaching the terms of the ceasefire, which Kyiv had dismissed as merely a publicity stunt from the start.

The United States welcomed the suggestion of extending the ceasefire. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy advocated for a 30-day truce to ensure the safety of civilian areas.

U.S. President Donald Trump, who has pledged to conclude the ongoing war swiftly, has shifted U.S. foreign policy from unwavering support for Ukraine toward a more conciliatory stance toward Russia, although he has yet to achieve significant concessions from Moscow.

Last month, Russia rejected a proposal from Trump for a comprehensive 30-day ceasefire that Ukraine had agreed to. U.S. officials are engaged in parallel discussions with both parties in Saudi Arabia, resulting in only limited agreements to pause attacks on energy facilities, with both sides accusing each other of noncompliance.

In an interview with a reporter from Russian state television, Putin mentioned that Moscow stands ready to entertain any peace initiatives and expects a reciprocal attitude from Kyiv.

“We are always favorable toward a truce, which is why we proposed this initiative, especially during the joyous days of Easter,” Putin remarked.

When asked about Zelenskiy’s suggestion for a month-long ceasefire protecting civilians, Putin responded, “This matter requires careful consideration, perhaps even bilateral discussion. We do not dismiss this possibility.”

Following Putin’s comments, spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that the president was referring to the potential for direct negotiations with Ukraine. The last known talks between the two sides occurred early in the war, three years ago, and ended without progress.

“When the president mentioned the possibility of discussing the issue of refraining from strikes on civilian targets, he meant negotiations and discussions with the Ukrainian side,” Peskov said, according to Interfax news agency.

There was no immediate reply from Ukraine concerning Putin’s statements. A representative for President Zelenskiy was not available for comment.

Air Strikes

Earlier Monday, Zelenskiy instructed his forces to continue mirroring the actions of the Russian military.

“The nature of Ukraine’s response will remain symmetrical: a ceasefire will be met with a ceasefire, and Russian strikes will be countered with our own in self-defense. Actions always carry more weight than words,” he stated on the social platform X.

Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned on Friday that the U.S. might withdraw from peace talks in Ukraine if there is no progress in the coming days. However, Trump expressed hope on Sunday that a deal could be reached “this week.”

Russia has not shown signs of compromising on any of its key demands, including Ukraine relinquishing territories that Putin claims to have annexed and agreeing to a status of permanent neutrality. Ukraine insists that conceding these demands would amount to surrender and leave the nation vulnerable in the event of further attacks from Moscow.

In response to Trump’s hopes for a swift peace agreement, Peskov remarked during a regular briefing: “I don’t have any comments to make at this stage, particularly regarding timeframes.

“President Putin and the Russian side are still open to pursuing a peaceful resolution. We are continuing communications with the American side and certainly hope that this effort will lead to results.”

Despite there being no air raid alerts in Ukraine on Sunday, Ukrainian forces reported close to 3,000 violations of the Russian ceasefire, with the most intense attacks occurring along the Pokrovsk section of the frontline, Zelenskiy communicated earlier on Monday.

On Sunday, the Russian defense ministry stated that Ukrainian forces had targeted Russian positions 444 times and noted over 900 drone attacks from Ukraine, asserting that there were casualties among civilians.