Moscow, Feb 18 (Reuters) - The Kremlin indicated on Tuesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin is committed to negotiating a resolution to halt the war in Ukraine through high-level discussions. Russia aims to achieve its objectives peacefully.
In 2022, Putin deployed Russia's army into Ukraine and is now controlling a significant portion of Ukrainian territory. Despite doubts from Western intelligence, European leaders, and former U.S. president Joe Biden regarding Putin's sincerity in seeking peace, U.S. President Donald Trump believes in Putin's seriousness.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov emphasized Putin's consistent readiness for peace talks since the conflict began, stating, "The main focus is to reach our objectives. We prefer peaceful methods to attain our goals."
Regarding a potential meeting between Putin and Trump, Peskov mentioned that no specific date had been set, but clarity might emerge from the Riyadh talks, which had just commenced.
When asked about negotiating with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Peskov confirmed Putin's willingness. However, he noted that any agreement would need to address concerns about Zelenskiy's legitimacy, given the extended presidential term resulting from martial law in Ukraine.
Peskov remarked that joining the European Union is Ukraine's decision, but Moscow maintains a different stance on affiliating with military alliances. Moscow's "special military operation" aims to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO, perceived as a threat to Russia's security.