Putin's big statement on ending Ukraine war: 'Russia ready to compromise with...'

Putin said that Russia was ready to negotiate with anyone, including Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Russia President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that he is open to compromising over the Ukraine war in talks with US President-elect Donald Trump, emphasising that there are no preconditions for discussions but any deal must involve legitimate Ukrainian authorities.

File photo of Russia's President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump at a meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan June 28, 2019. (REUTERS)

Putin said that Russia was ready to negotiate with anyone, including President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, according to a Reuters report.

Responding to questions on state TV during his annual Q&A session with Russians, Putin told a reporter for a US news channel that he had not spoken with Trump in years but was ready to meet with him to discuss the conflict.

Putin rejected claims that Russia was in a weak position, asserting that the country had grown stronger since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. While Putin stated Russia was open to negotiations, he asserted that Kyiv must be prepared for compromises as well.

Putin also dismissed any possibility of a temporary truce in favour of a lasting peace agreement. He mentioned that future talks should build on an earlier, unimplemented proposal in Istanbul. This draft deal, however, was viewed by some Ukrainian politicians as a surrender.

The war has caused extensive casualties, displaced millions, and worsened relations between Russia and the West. Putin defended the invasion as a defensive operation against NATO expansion, despite Russia controlling about a fifth of Ukraine’s territory.

'Should've sent troops before 2022'

Despite saying he was willing to hold talks with Trump on Ukraine, Putin said he said he should have sent troops into Ukraine sooner than 2022 when he was asked if he'd do anything differently. He also added that Russia should have been better prepared for the conflict.

Asked by a BBC reporter if he'd looked after Russia, something that former Russian president Boris Yeltsin had asked him to do before handing over the presidency at the end of 1999, Putin said he had.

"We have moved back from the edge of the abyss," Reuters quoted Putin as saying.

"I have done everything to ensure that Russia is an independent and sovereign power that is able to make decisions in its own interests," Putin added.

Putin also spoke on the "Oreshnik" hypersonic missile that Russia has already test-fired at a Ukrainian military factory, saying he was ready to organise another launch at Ukraine and see if Western air defence systems could shoot it down.

Meanwhile. Zelenskyy addressed Putin's missile suggestion during a press conference at a European Council meeting in Brussels and said, "Do you think he is a sane person?"