Russia does not object to peace talks with Ukraine in a third country to end the ongoing conflict, said Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Saturday.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico had conveyed a message from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressing a desire to meet, Putin told a press briefing on Saturday evening.
He said that Russia has no objection to meetings and if Zelensky is willing, he is welcome to come to Moscow, adding that Russia also has no objection to holding talks in a third country, provided the talks are aimed at ultimately signing an agreement.
While the United States does indeed wish to promote a resolution to the conflict, Putin said, this remains first and foremost a matter between Russia and Ukraine.
Even before U.S. President Donald Trump put forward his initiative, Russia had already proposed to Ukraine an exchange of 500 captives, he said. However, Russia has yet to receive a response from Ukraine side regarding the proposal, Putin added.
Reaching a peace agreement on Ukraine will be a long road involving complex details, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Saturday.
"It is clear that the American side is in a hurry, but the issue of a settlement in Ukraine is too complex," Peskov said in an interview with Russia's state television VGTRK, while commenting on Washington's possible retreat from mediation on the Ukraine issue.
Resolving the U.S. conflict with Iran would be as difficult as resolving the Ukraine crisis, said Peskov, calling for patience in addressing existing conflicts.
His remarks came after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly said Washington would be willing to continue mediating Russia-Ukraine negotiations only if there is tangible progress.
Russia and Ukraine on Friday agreed to a three-day ceasefire and a swap of 1,000 prisoners.
Separately, Zelensky signed a decree that excluded the Red Square area in Moscow from the "plan for the use of Ukrainian weapons" during the Victory Day parade on May 9 "for humanitarian purposes," according to a document published on the presidential website. Trump said earlier Friday on Truth Social that the truce between Russia and Ukraine "will include a suspension of all kinetic activity, and also a prison swap of 1,000 prisoners from each country."
On Thursday, the Russian Ministry of Defense said in a statement that all Russian military groupings in the conflict zone would completely halt combat operations during the Victory Day celebrations from midnight on Friday to Sunday.
Russia open to peace talks with Ukraine in third country: Putin
