Russia's Vladimir Putin expressed willingness for "serious" peace talks with Ukraine, indicating a potential shift in his country's stance on the ongoing conflict. The Russian leader stated that Washington is taking his position into account, but some issues still need to be addressed when a US delegation visits Moscow next week.
Putin acknowledged the draft plan initially discussed by the United States and Ukraine, which has undergone changes following Kyiv's concerns. While acknowledging the progress made in Geneva talks with the US last weekend, he noted that key points require further discussion. The proposal had sparked concerns among Ukrainian allies and critics that it favored Russia too much.
However, Putin remains optimistic about the course of talks, suggesting that the current draft could serve as a foundation for future agreements. He emphasized his country's readiness for serious discussions about the plan, which would involve concessions from both sides.
Regarding the US delegation led by Steve Witkoff, Putin expressed uncertainty over who exactly will be part of the American team but stated that he is waiting to meet with them next week in Moscow. The Ukrainian government has also maintained talks with the US this week, aiming to keep productivity and work pace high.
Despite these positive developments, Putin made it clear that there is no final agreement yet, emphasizing Russia's primary concern: the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the territories they currently hold. He warned that if this does not happen, fighting will resume using force.
Putin acknowledged the draft plan initially discussed by the United States and Ukraine, which has undergone changes following Kyiv's concerns. While acknowledging the progress made in Geneva talks with the US last weekend, he noted that key points require further discussion. The proposal had sparked concerns among Ukrainian allies and critics that it favored Russia too much.
However, Putin remains optimistic about the course of talks, suggesting that the current draft could serve as a foundation for future agreements. He emphasized his country's readiness for serious discussions about the plan, which would involve concessions from both sides.
Regarding the US delegation led by Steve Witkoff, Putin expressed uncertainty over who exactly will be part of the American team but stated that he is waiting to meet with them next week in Moscow. The Ukrainian government has also maintained talks with the US this week, aiming to keep productivity and work pace high.
Despite these positive developments, Putin made it clear that there is no final agreement yet, emphasizing Russia's primary concern: the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the territories they currently hold. He warned that if this does not happen, fighting will resume using force.
I don't think we should be reading too much into Putin's sudden change of heart just yet... Like, let's not forget that Russia has been trying to pull a fast one on the world for years now 
. The fact that they're willing to "talk" about peace after all this time is probably just a tactic to buy themselves some time before things escalate further. Newsflash: Ukraine isn't going anywhere anytime soon! 
And let's be real, if there's one thing we know for sure, it's that Putin loves himself a good negotiating chip 
. The draft plan may have undergone changes after Ukraine expressed its concerns, but I'm pretty sure they're still trying to get the better end of the deal...
just saw Putin talking about peace talks with Ukraine 
and I'm like 
he says we're making progress in Geneva talks 
but some stuff still needs to be ironed out 
i mean, it's good that he's willing to listen 
but can't forget Russia wants Ukrainian troops to leave 
those guys are holding onto power too much 
meanwhile, US is trying to keep the dialogue going 
. The draft plan sounds like it has some good points, but the fact that it needs to be tweaked after the US and Ukraine go back and forth suggests there's still some major hurdles to overcome 
.
... and Steve Witkoff seems like a pretty cool dude for leading the US delegation 
. But at the same time, I'm worried about what will happen if Putin gets his way 
... but for now, let's keep our fingers crossed that the world can find a peaceful resolution to this whole Russia-Ukraine situation 
.
But seriously, I'm kinda curious to see if Putin's been talking turkey about giving up some territory. I mean, Ukraine does deserve its independence, you know? 
Still, gotta keep an eye on that withdrawal thing, can't let the US get too comfy thinking it's all gonna be smooth sailing... 
. Like, I get it, Ukraine is holding out for some serious concessions from Russia. But at the same time, can you imagine if they actually sat down and talked about this stuff? It might actually work 
. The thing that's got me a bit confused is how Russia seems to be taking US concerns into account 
. I'm worried this is all just a PR stunt to show the world that Putin is "open" to negotiations when in reality, it's business as usual for him 
.
. And what exactly does he mean by "concessions from both sides" 
I'm all for finding a peaceful solution, but we need to be careful not to give away too much in the process. Fingers crossed that Steve Witkoff and his team can keep Putin on track 
!
. The Ukrainian government seems pretty determined to keep pushing forward, and I think that's what we need right now - momentum 
.
. One thing's for sure though, more dialogue is better than less