Putin accuses Kyiv of rejecting peaceful settlement, signals openness to talks

Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused Ukraine of refusing to end the war through peaceful means, while insisting Moscow remains open to dialogue.

Speaking during his year-end news conference in Moscow on Friday, Putin said Russia has detected signals from Kyiv suggesting a possible willingness to engage in talks, despite what he described as Ukraine’s continued rejection of a negotiated settlement.

Vladimir Putin, Russian President (Russian) “They are refusing to end the conflict by peaceful means. Nevertheless, we do see, feel, and know of certain signals, including from the Kyiv regime, that they are ready to engage in some kind of dialogue… We are ready and willing to resolve the conflict by peaceful means, on the basis of the principles that I set out in June of last year, provided the causes that led to this crisis are eliminated.”

Putin’s remarks come as the conflict approaches its fourth year, and as diplomatic efforts intensify following a renewed U.S.-backed push for peace talks. However, negotiations remain stalled amid sharply conflicting demands from Moscow and Kyiv.

The Russian leader has warned that Moscow would seek to expand its territorial gains if Ukraine and its Western allies reject Russia’s conditions for peace. Those demands include international recognition of Russia’s control over four partially occupied Ukrainian regions, as well as Crimea, annexed by Moscow in 2014—terms that Ukraine has firmly rejected.

The war, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, continues to take a heavy toll on civilians, particularly in frontline areas such as Zaporizhzhia, where fighting and shelling persist.