Russia has expressed its approval of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump‘s stated intention to address issues through dialogue, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. He emphasized that Russian President Vladimir Putin is prepared to engage in discussions with Trump. Peskov indicated that there may be advancements in arranging a meeting between the two leaders following Trump’s inauguration on January 20. While Trump mentioned on Thursday that efforts were underway to schedule a meeting with Putin, he did not provide a specific timeline.

During his campaign, Trump asserted that he could resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict within 24 hours, although he and his advisors have more recently suggested that a resolution might take a few months after he assumes office. His upcoming presidency has generated optimism for a diplomatic solution, yet it has also raised concerns in Kyiv that a swift peace agreement could come at a significant cost to Ukraine.

Peskov reiterated that Putin has consistently expressed his openness to discussions with global leaders, including Trump. He stated, “No preconditions are necessary; only a mutual desire and political will to engage in dialogue and address existing issues are required.” He added, “We recognize that Mr. Trump has also expressed his willingness to resolve problems through dialogue, and we welcome this.” While Peskov noted that no concrete plans for a meeting have been established, he mentioned that Russia is operating under the assumption that both parties are amenable to it. “It seems that after Mr. Trump takes office, there will be some progress.”

On Thursday, Trump remarked, “President Putin is eager to meet. He has expressed this publicly, and we need to bring an end to that war. It’s a disastrous situation.” Trump’s advisers have suggested strategies to conclude the conflict that would essentially hand over significant portions of the country to Russia for the foreseeable future.

Peskov stated that Russia’s stance remains unchanged, as articulated by Putin last June. At that time, Putin indicated that Russia would be open to ending the war if Ukraine abandoned its aspirations for NATO membership and completely withdrew from four regions that Russia partially controls and claims as its own.

Kyiv has dismissed this proposal as equivalent to capitulation. While Peskov spoke favorably of Trump, he was notably critical of the outgoing President Joe Biden. He claimed that the Biden administration, in its final ten days, “plans to do everything possible to prolong the war,” which may include imposing new sanctions on Russia.

Peskov added, “We understand that the administration will likely attempt to leave a challenging legacy regarding bilateral relations for the incoming Trump and his team.”