Putin open to Ukraine talks, cites Zelenskyy's ban as barrier

Moscow remains open to negotiations on Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday.

"We have always said this, and I would like to emphasize this once again: we are ready for negotiations on the Ukrainian issue," Putin stated.

However, he noted that certain issues require special attention. He pointed out that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had previously issued a decree prohibiting such talks.

"How can negotiations be resumed now when they have been banned?" Putin asked, adding that under Ukraine's current legal framework, any negotiations would be considered illegitimate.

Putin explained that as long as the decree remains in effect, it would be difficult to initiate or conclude meaningful negotiations. While some preliminary discussions might occur, he said serious talks would face significant obstacles due to the Ukrainian ban.

The Russian leader accused Zelenskyy of being "in no hurry" to lift the decree and suggested that he was acting on the instructions of his sponsors. Putin urged those funding Kiev to pressure the Ukrainian president to remove the ban.

Separately, during his speech at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos on Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump said efforts to secure a peace settlement between Russia and Ukraine were "hopefully underway," adding that Ukraine was prepared to reach a deal.

(Cover: Russian President Vladimir Putin. /CFP)