Russian President Vladimir Putin has signaled his willingness to negotiate with U.S. President Donald Trump on resolving the ongoing war in Ukraine, raising the prospect of direct talks between the two leaders. Speaking in a televised interview on Friday, Putin described Trump as a "clever and pragmatic man" and expressed openness to dialogue on a range of issues, including the Ukraine conflict.
"We have always said, and I want to emphasize this again, we are ready for these talks on the Ukrainian issue," Putin stated, while adding that negotiations would need to account for "today's realities." He also suggested a meeting with Trump would allow for a "calm conversation on all issues of interest to both the U.S. and Russia."
Putin's remarks come in response to Trump's repeated calls for a swift resolution to the war, now nearing its third year. Since his inauguration, Trump has emphasized the urgency of ending the conflict and has proposed direct negotiations with Moscow. On Thursday, Trump told Fox News that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy bears some responsibility for the war, adding that Zelenskyy "should have made a deal" to avoid the outbreak of conflict.
Zelenskyy, in his nightly address on Friday, dismissed Putin's overtures toward Trump, accusing the Russian leader of attempting to exploit the U.S. president's peace efforts. "He is trying to manipulate the U.S. president's desire to achieve peace. I am confident that no Russian manipulations will succeed any longer," Zelenskyy said.
Putin, however, pointed to Zelenskyy's 2022 decree barring negotiations with Moscow as a major obstacle to peace. "How is it possible to conduct talks if they are banned?" Putin remarked during the interview. He also reiterated longstanding demands, including Ukraine's withdrawal from NATO aspirations and recognition of Russian sovereignty over territories annexed during the conflict.
Trump has signaled a willingness to exert economic pressure on Russia if negotiations fail. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday, Trump criticized the global oil market, arguing that high prices are fueling Russia's war effort. "Right now, the price is high enough that that war will continue," Trump stated, urging OPEC to push oil prices lower to undercut Moscow's primary source of revenue.
Despite these economic threats, Putin dismissed the notion that oil prices would determine the war's outcome. "Excessively low oil prices are bad for both the U.S. and Russia," Putin said, emphasizing that broader security concerns, not energy markets, drive Russia's actions. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov echoed this sentiment, stating, "The conflict doesn't depend on oil prices. It's about threats to Russia's national security."
Observers remain skeptical of Putin's intentions. Some believe Moscow's interest in negotiations may be a tactical move to buy time while consolidating its military gains. A Kremlin insider suggested that talks could serve as a means to prolong the conflict and shift terms in Russia's favor.
The economic toll of the war on Russia is becoming increasingly evident. Inflation is rising, and the country's budget is strained by the costs of the military campaign. However, many in Moscow's elite remain confident that Russia can endure another year of conflict without significant concessions.
The possibility of negotiations has also revived discussions about deploying Western peacekeeping forces to Ukraine to enforce a ceasefire. While some U.S. officials have floated the idea, Moscow has categorically rejected it, calling such proposals "unacceptable."