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Russian President Vladimir Putin gestures during his briefing after the State Council meeting at the Grand Kremlin Palace in Moscow, Russia, December 22, 2022. /CFP
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Russia wants to end the conflict in Ukraine, and that all armed conflicts end with diplomatic negotiations.
"Sooner or later, any parties in a state of conflict sit down and make an agreement. The sooner this realization comes to those who oppose us, the better," Putin told reporters, a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's visit to the White House.
Russia has persistently said it is open to negotiations, but Ukraine and its allies suspect a ploy to buy time.
White House spokesman John Kirby said that Biden was open to talks with Putin, but only after the Russian leader "showed a seriousness about negotiations" and after consultations with Ukraine and U.S. allies.
Kyiv has insisted that Russia must halt its attacks and give up all territory it has seized before talks.
Putin also played down the significance of the Patriot air defense system that Biden agreed to supply to Zelenskyy, saying Russia would find a way to counter it.
He said it was "quite old" and did not work like Russia's S-300 system. "An antidote will always be found," he said, boasting Russia would "crack" the Patriots.
"So those who do it are doing it in vain. It's just prolonging the conflict, that's all."
Putin also said a price cap imposed on Russian oil by Western countries, designed to limit its ability to fund the conflict, would not damage the Russian economy. He said he would sign a decree early next week to set out Russia's response.
(With input from Reuters)
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