Kremlin suggests Putin is open to a peace deal with Ukraine but warns against rushing it

President Vladimir Putin is receptive to the idea of peace in Ukraine, and there is ongoing collaboration with the United States. However, the complexity of the conflict makes it challenging to achieve the swift progress that Washington desires, according to the Kremlin’s statement on Wednesday.

U.S. President Donald Trump, who aims to be recognized as a peacemaker, has consistently expressed his desire to put an end to the ongoing ‘bloodbath’ of the war in Ukraine, which has lasted over three years. Nevertheless, Washington has indicated its frustration over the inability of Moscow and Kyiv to agree on terms to conclude the deadliest land conflict in Europe since World War II.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov informed reporters that the Russian president is still open to political and diplomatic avenues for resolving the conflict. He mentioned that Putin has shown a willingness to engage in direct discussions with Ukraine, but has yet to receive a response from Kyiv. Peskov emphasized that Russia’s objectives must be met regardless, with a preference for achieving them through peaceful means.

He acknowledged Washington’s eagerness for a quick resolution, but noted that the underlying issues of the Ukraine war are too intricate to be settled in a single day.

Putin’s decision to deploy tens of thousands of troops to Ukraine in 2022 marked the most severe confrontation between Moscow and the West since the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. Former U.S. President Joe Biden, along with Western European leaders and Ukraine, has characterized the invasion as an imperialistic land grab and has repeatedly pledged to defeat Russian forces.

Putin views the war as a pivotal moment in Moscow’s relationship with the West, which he claims has humiliated Russia since the Soviet Union’s collapse in 1991 by expanding NATO and encroaching on what he perceives as Moscow’s sphere of influence, including Ukraine.

In March, Putin indicated that Russia was in principle supportive of a U.S. proposal for a ceasefire in Ukraine, but emphasized that hostilities could not be suspended until several key conditions were established or clarified. On Monday, he announced a three-day ceasefire in May to mark the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory over the Nazis in World War II.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy stated that any advancement in resolving the conflict hinged on Russia’s willingness to agree to an unconditional ceasefire. On Tuesday, Trump expressed his belief that Putin desires to end the war in Ukraine, asserting that without his influence, Russia would aim to seize the entire country. ‘If it weren’t for me, I think he’d want to take over the whole country,’ Trump remarked.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on Tuesday that it is now crucial for Moscow and Kyiv to present concrete proposals to conclude the war, warning that the U.S. would withdraw as a mediator if no progress is made. Trump declined to comment on whether the United States would cease military assistance to Ukraine if it withdrew from negotiations.