Putin Says Russia ‘Ready’ for Talks With Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that he was ready for talks with Kyiv, after having previously rebuffed the idea of negotiations while Ukraine’s offensive into the Kursk region was ongoing.
Ukraine launched a surprise incursion into the southwestern Kursk region in early August, sending thousands of troops across the border and seizing dozens of towns and villages. Following the attack, Putin said there could be no talk of negotiations with Kyiv.
Speaking at the Eastern Economic Forum in the city of Vladivostok, Putin said Moscow was ready for talks but on the basis of an aborted deal between Russian and Ukrainian negotiators reached in Istanbul in 2022, the terms of which were never made public.
“Are we ready to negotiate with them? We have never refused to do so, but not on the basis of some ephemeral demands, but on the basis of those documents that were agreed and actually signed in Istanbul,” Putin said.
The Kremlin has repeatedly claimed Russia and Ukraine were on the verge of a deal in the spring of 2022, shortly after Moscow launched its full-scale invasion.
“We managed to reach an agreement, that is the whole point,” Putin said Thursday. “The signature of the head of the Ukrainian delegation who supported this document testifies to this, which means that the Ukrainian side was generally satisfied with the agreements reached.”
“It did not come into force only because they were given a command not to do so, because the elites of the United States, Europe [and] some European countries wanted to achieve a strategic defeat of Russia,” the Russian leader claimed.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia’s Prosecutor General’s Office has designated The Moscow Times as an “undesirable” organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a “foreign agent.”
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work “discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership.” We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It’s quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you’re defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.