Putin says Russia ready for talks on final Ukraine deal, not truce

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that Moscow is ready to resume three-way talks with Ukraine and the United States, but insisted negotiations must focus on a final peace agreement rather than a temporary ceasefire. Putin stated the goal is to ensure security for both countries after reaching a lasting settlement, reiterating that Russia never intended to start a war. He agreed with US envoy Witkoff on discussing broader European security architecture, while Ukrainian President Zelenskiy said Kyiv supports any ceasefire proposals and is ready for talks by early next month. Territorial disputes remain a major obstacle, with Russia demanding the entire Donbas region and Kyiv rejecting any territorial concessions. Putin claimed the area is "historical Russia" territory, citing referendums held after the invasion, while US-led negotiations stalled in February following the US-Israeli conflict with Iran.