Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his willingness on Thursday to explore compromises on Ukraine in potential talks with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, emphasizing that he had no preconditions for initiating discussions with Ukrainian authorities.
Trump, who has styled himself as a dealmaker and author of the 1987 book Trump: The Art of the Deal, has pledged to end the conflict swiftly but has yet to provide details on his approach.
During his annual televised question-and-answer session, Putin addressed a U.S. reporter’s query about meeting Trump, stating his readiness for dialogue despite not having spoken with Trump in years.
Responding to suggestions that Russia might be negotiating from a position of weakness, Putin asserted that Russia had grown stronger since launching its military operations in Ukraine in 2022.
“We have always said that we are ready for negotiations and compromises,” Putin remarked, adding that Russian forces, advancing steadily across the front, were close to achieving their key objectives in Ukraine.
“In my view, soon there will be no Ukrainians left willing to fight. We are prepared for talks, but the other side must also be willing to negotiate and compromise.”
Reuters previously reported that Putin was open to discussing a ceasefire agreement with Trump but remained firm on not making significant territorial concessions. Additionally, Putin insisted that Kyiv must abandon its aspirations to join NATO as part of any agreement.
