Putin reaffirms Russia’s conditions for Ukraine peace talks

Shafaq News – Moscow

On Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated Moscow’s core conditions for resolving the Ukraine conflict, stressing the need for sustained negotiations and long-term peace.

After talks with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Russia’s Valaam Island, Putin described the latest prisoner exchanges and negotiation rounds between Moscow and Kyiv as positive, adding, “Talks are always necessary and important. If Kyiv believes it is not the right time to engage with Moscow, we are ready to wait.”

Without referencing US President Donald Trump’s suggested timeline for a settlement, Putin noted that three rounds of peace negotiations had produced some constructive outcomes. “Disappointment usually stems from inflated expectations. To resolve issues peacefully, we need detailed discussions—away from the public eye, in the calm of direct negotiations.”

Putin also expressed support for including the Ukraine conflict in broader talks on European security. “There is value in discussing Ukrainian settlement within the wider context of European security,” he noted.

Addressing international criticism over the transfer of Ukrainian children to Russia, Putin rejected Kyiv’s allegations. He claimed that data shared by Ukraine in Istanbul on “abducted” children was inaccurate, though he provided no details.

Ukraine and international bodies, including the International Criminal Court, accuse Russia of unlawfully deporting thousands of Ukrainian children from occupied territories. Moscow maintains that the transfers were humanitarian evacuations intended to move minors out of active combat zones.