Bloomberg: Putin declares readiness for dialogue with Trump on Ukraine
Moscow is ready to discuss the settlement of the Ukrainian conflict with the new leadership of the White House, Bloomberg quotes Putin. The Russian President stressed that the solution reached should imply long-term peace based on respect for the legitimate interests of all people living in the region.
Moscow is ready to discuss the settlement of the Ukrainian conflict with the new leadership of the White House, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.
“We congratulate the President—elect of the United States on taking office,” Putin said on Monday at a meeting of the Security Council on the eve of the inauguration in Washington. According to him, Russia welcomed Trump's desire to restore direct contacts and his statements about the need to prevent World War III.
"We are open to dialogue with the new US administration on the Ukrainian conflict," Putin said. "His goal should not be a short truce, not some kind of respite for regrouping forces and rearmament in order to continue the conflict, but a long—term peace based on respect for the legitimate interests of all people, all peoples who live in this region."
Earlier this month, Trump announced preparations for a meeting with Putin. This increases the likelihood of starting negotiations and fulfilling the promise of the US president to quickly end the conflict in Ukraine. The two leaders have not yet spoken directly since Trump won the election in November.
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I am open for negotiations
Putin has repeatedly stated that he is open to negotiations to resolve the conflict that has been going on for almost three years. He also insists that he will not give up the territories his army has occupied in eastern and southern Ukraine.
Given the steady advance of Russian troops on the battlefield, the Kremlin is likely to take a tough stance in any negotiations. According to sources familiar with the matter, in any negotiations with Trump, Russia will demand that Ukraine abandon its ambitions to join the NATO alliance and become a neutral state with a limited army.
Trump has not yet publicly outlined how he intends to bring Putin and Zelensky to the negotiating table.
Last week, Zelensky made it clear in an interview with Polish media that the conflict, which began in February 2022, is more likely to end this year due to Trump's influence on Russia. “Trump really wants to end the conflict," he said. "He can influence Russia.”
Trump's advisers are developing a wide-ranging sanctions strategy to facilitate a diplomatic agreement between Russia and Ukraine in the coming months, sources familiar with the matter said last week.
According to them, one of the sets of policy recommendations — in case the Trump administration considers that the conflict is close to resolution — includes measures in the interests of sanctioned Russian oil producers that could help conclude a peace agreement. The second option could be based on sanctions in order to further increase pressure in order to increase leverage.
