Subhechcha Ganguly 
In a significant statement on Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared that Russia is ready to negotiate over the Ukraine war, emphasizing that the country is open to talks with all parties, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. During his annual Q&A session with the Russian public, Putin told a US news channel reporter that he had not spoken to US President-elect Donald Trump in years but was willing to meet with him to discuss the ongoing conflict. He clarified that there are no preconditions for talks, but any agreement must involve legitimate Ukrainian authorities.
Putin rejected suggestions that Russia was in a weak position, insisting that the country had become stronger since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. While he expressed openness to negotiations, he noted that Kyiv must also be willing to make compromises. Putin also dismissed the idea of a temporary truce, stressing that any future discussions should aim for a lasting peace agreement. He referenced an earlier proposal made in Istanbul, which had been criticized by some Ukrainian officials as a potential surrender.
The war has resulted in significant casualties, displaced millions, and strained relations between Russia and the West. Despite these consequences, Putin defended the invasion as a necessary defensive action against NATO’s expansion, even as Russia currently controls around a fifth of Ukraine’s territory.
While expressing his willingness to negotiate with US President-elect Donald Trump on the Ukraine issue, Putin also acknowledged that he should have deployed troops to Ukraine earlier than 2022 when asked if he would have done anything differently. He admitted that Russia was not adequately prepared for the conflict. “We have moved back from the edge of the abyss,” Putin said, according to Reuters.
“I have done everything to ensure that Russia is an independent and sovereign power capable of making decisions in its own interests,” he added.
Putin also addressed Russia’s “Oreshnik” hypersonic missile, which has already been test-fired at a Ukrainian military facility. He stated that he was prepared to launch another missile at Ukraine to assess whether Western air defense systems could intercept it.
