St Petersburg, June 5: Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Moscow is ready to reach a peaceful agreement with Ukraine based on understandings discussed with US President Donald Trump during their meeting in Anchorage last year, provided Kyiv is willing to make compromises.
Speaking to international news agencies, including PTI, Putin said Russia had accepted the compromises discussed during the talks and argued that the conflict could be resolved quickly if Ukraine agreed to similar terms. He did not disclose the details of those proposals.
Putin claimed Russian forces continue to advance across the frontline and have recently captured additional territory. He said Russia now fully controls the Luhansk region and more than 85 per cent of the Donetsk region, adding that the military offensive is continuing daily.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for direct talks with Putin and proposed a face-to-face meeting to end the war. In an open letter, Zelenskyy urged a full ceasefire to create conditions for negotiations, saying lasting peace can only be achieved through direct engagement between Kyiv and Moscow. The Kremlin confirmed receiving the letter.
Putin also rejected the European Union as a potential mediator, arguing that countries supporting Ukraine militarily cannot be neutral. He questioned Zelenskyy’s legitimacy because elections have been suspended under martial law and accused the West of supplying advanced drones to Ukraine.
He further said Russia is strengthening air defences and warned that its Oreshnik hypersonic missile could be used more extensively if necessary. Negotiations remain stalled despite several previous rounds of peace talks. (AP)
