Full story
Putin sets terms
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia is ready for peace talks with Ukraine, but only "based on realities on the ground" and that the proposals Moscow is currently receiving are "sometimes, I would say, rather exotic and unacceptable."
“only "based on realities on the ground"”
In an interview with Russian propagandist Pavel Zarubin, as reported by the state-run news agency RIA Novosti and the Telegram channel Vy slushali, Putin said, "We are always ready for dialogue, but only based on the realities on the ground," and declined to specify which proposals he meant.
The same reporting said Putin claimed Kyiv had "opened Pandora's box" by striking civilian targets in Russia and that Russia's response would be "far more significant and far more destructive."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, meanwhile, repeatedly called on Russia to stop fighting along the front line, while the Kremlin continued to reject the idea and insisted Ukrainian forces withdraw from Donbas.
The Reuters account said Russia holds around a fifth of Ukraine's internationally recognised territory and that Moscow has repeatedly said talks must recognize the "new realities on the ground."
Diplomacy and escalation
Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told News.ru that Russia is prepared to consider new proposals for ending the war in Ukraine but will not abandon its core positions, saying it is "more important to what extent Washington is able to influence the decisions of the Kyiv regime" and its European sponsors.
Ryabkov also said Russia is ready to listen to "any reasonable proposals and ideas" that meet the goals set by Putin and reflect the "realities on the ground," while rejecting attempts to impose "maximalist" Ukrainian and EU demands or use negotiations to provide Ukraine with time to rearm.
Reuters reported that Ryabkov said the U.S. demonstrated readiness for "constructive dialogue" and an "understanding of Russia's position," and that Russia is ready to listen to Rubio's new ideas while negotiations have largely stalled amid the war in Iran.
In parallel, Al-Jazirah Net said Putin rejected proposals coming to Moscow for a settlement with Kyiv as "unacceptable" and said Russia intensified strikes on facilities of the Ukrainian military-industrial complex, including those in Kyiv, in response to Ukrainian strikes on logistics facilities.
The same Al-Jazirah Net report said the Russian Defense Ministry revealed it shot down 457 Ukrainian drones overnight, while Russian officials said Ukrainian drones killed at least eight civilians in overnight raids on areas in Russia.
What comes next
Zelenskyy told Reuters that he was "preparing decisions within the diplomatic team" and said, "New approaches are needed in some areas, particularly in the United States," adding, "Ukraine needs results."
“Ukraine needs results.”
Reuters said the Kremlin had no information yet on a possible next visit to Moscow by U.S. presidential envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, who have led negotiations with Russia in the past, and noted that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio cautioned there was no quick deal ahead.
Al Jazeera reported that Russia said it was ready for "new ideas" on the Ukraine war that match Putin’s goals, and it described Ryabkov’s framing that Moscow may be seeking to revive Trump administration support for its agenda.
On the ground, Al Jazeera said Russian attacks killed two women in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region and triggered fires at five residential buildings and several cars, while another attack on a home killed one person and injured another in Ukraine’s Zaporizhia region.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock criticized Moscow and Putin for an "escalation of the aggressive and brutal war" during a visit to Kyiv, and said Germany announced additional humanitarian aid to Ukraine worth 50 million euros and 10 million euros for an NATO fund dedicated to financing energy networks and drone defense systems in Ukraine.