Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that Moscow is open to a new round of peace negotiations with Ukraine. The meeting may take place in Istanbul, Turkey, although place and date have not yet been officially defined.
“We agree that, after the completion of this phase, we will hold a third round of negotiations. In principle, we are ready to do so, but it is necessary to hit the place and time,” said the head of Kremlin.
According to Reuters news agency, Putin acknowledged that there are considerable disagreements among the proposals already presented by both sides in previous conversations, but expressed optimism that the continuity of dialogue could reduce these differences.
During an interview with journalists in Minsk, Russia, the Russian leader pointed out that representatives of both countries continue in constant contact.
“And what will be the theme of the meeting? In my opinion, the focus should be the analysis of the memos presented on both sides,” he suggested.
In addition to the resumption of negotiations, Putin said Russia is willing to deliver the bodies of another 3,000 Ukrainian soldiers killed in combat. According to him, more than 6,000 have been returned to Ukraine since the beginning of the war.
