Putin confirms Russia’s readiness for talks with Ukraine without preconditions

New Delhi: The Kremlin on Saturday confirmed that President Vladimir Putin has expressed willingness to engage in negotiations with Ukraine without preconditions.

The announcement, made by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, follows a high-level meeting on April 25 between Putin and Steve Witkoff, the special envoy dispatched by US President Donald Trump to push for a ceasefire deal. 

The three-hour dialogue at the Kremlin comes amid escalating tensions both on the battlefield and in diplomatic corridors.

Peskov’s statement marks a potential shift from Moscow’s long-standing demands, including Kyiv’s recognition of Russia’s annexation of four Ukrainian provinces and Ukraine’s abandonment of its NATO ambitions. 

While scepticism remains, the Kremlin’s softened posture is being seen as a possible recalibration under U.S. diplomatic pressure.

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Moscow has seized close to 20% of Ukrainian territory, consolidating control over large parts of the Donbas region and southern Ukraine. 

Recent battlefield developments have only heightened tensions. 

A missile attack on Sumy in northern Ukraine earlier this month killed over 30 civilians. Meanwhile, the April 24 assassination of Russian Lt. Gen. Yaroslav Moskalik near Moscow in a car bomb attack has added volatility to an already fragile situation.

Diplomatic sources told NewsDrum.in that Witkoff’s visit marks Washington’s most serious attempt yet to unlock negotiations. Trump, who assumed office in January, has called for an immediate 30-day ceasefire, an initiative Kyiv has accepted but Russia had so far resisted. 

At his meeting with Putin, Witkoff reiterated Trump's warning that if either side obstructs talks, the US would reconsider its role as mediator.

Despite these overtures, doubts persist. German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius recently voiced scepticism, citing Russia’s ongoing military buildup along the Pokrovsk front and Sudzha-Sumy highway as evidence that Moscow may be using diplomacy as a tactic rather than a genuine path to peace.

Stakes for Kyiv and Moscow

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has maintained a hard line, consistently rejecting any arrangement that freezes Russia’s territorial gains. Ukraine continues to press for full restoration of its borders and security guarantees from NATO members, even as alliance capitals remain divided on offering Kyiv full membership.

Public sentiment in Ukraine remains wary. Analysts argue that any Russian offer lacking a full military withdrawal could prove politically toxic for Zelensky, whose government has tied national survival to resisting concessions.

Conversely, Russia faces growing pressures at home. Economic strain from sanctions, domestic security breaches like Moskalik’s killing, and battlefield attrition are weighing heavily on the Kremlin’s strategic calculus.

Sources familiar with internal US assessments told NewsDrum.in that Putin’s new posture might reflect an effort to project flexibility internationally while buying time to regroup militarily on the ground.