Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has characterized rumors that the Russian government has sought to assassinate Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as "false and untrue," adding on Wednesday that Russia hopes Zelenskyy will agree to negotiated terms in order to end Russia's "special military operation."

President Vladimir Putin ordered Russian troops to withdraw from the Kyiv region to create favorable conditions for negotiations as a goodwill gesture, according to Peskov.