The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, stated this Friday that all proposals to reach an agreement to end the war with Ukraine are still on the table, although he warned that Moscow will need to carefully evaluate its interests before deciding on the next steps.
During a conversation with journalists in St. Petersburg, Putin maintained that Russia was ready to resume negotiations with Kiev after last week's Russian parliamentary elections. However, he accused Ukraine of frustrating that possibility by launching attacks against Moscow and polling stations during the elections.
''They are the ones who started it,'' Putin said, referring to Ukrainian military actions. The president asserted that Russia will respond consistently to what he described as provocative actions by Kiev and assured that Ukraine will have to face the consequences.
Putin pointed out that Moscow wants to prevent Ukrainian attacks from being used to gain advantages in any potential negotiation. According to the Russian president, Kiev's military operations are only worsening the situation and making it more difficult to reach an agreement.
Vladimir Putin left the door open for diplomatic negotiations with Ukraine, but warned of a military response to the bombings in Kiev
Despite his warnings, Putin left the door open for dialogue. When asked about the various proposals to end the conflict, he replied that ''everything is possible'' and that all options remain available. However, he indicated that Russia will have to study what measures it considers necessary after the recent attacks.
The statements come as intense attacks from both sides continue. Russian forces have been conducting attacks against Ukrainian cities and infrastructure, primarily at night, for months. In recent weeks, however, Moscow has increased daytime operations with drones and missiles against Kiev and other locations. A Russian attack recorded on Friday against the Ukrainian capital left seven dead, according to authorities.
Ukraine, for its part, has been carrying out attacks against targets within Russian territory for months. One of its main priorities has been energy infrastructure, especially facilities linked to the oil industry and distribution points. Some of these operations have reached targets located up to 3,000 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.
Russia and Ukraine have exchanged shelling between their cities over the past few weeks
Putin also stated that Kiev is seeking to resume talks due to the difficulties it faces in countering certain Russian drones powered by jet engines. According to the president, these devices operate at higher altitudes and are more difficult to intercept.
The Russian president also mentioned previous attacks against St. Petersburg, which occurred during an international conference in June, and against Moscow on the main day of the parliamentary elections. Putin accused Ukrainian forces of attacking polling stations and stated that an election official was killed and others were injured.
The Ukrainian government holds a different interpretation of the operations against Russian territory. President Volodymyr Zelenskyhas defended these attacks as a response to Russian bombings against civilians and infrastructure in Ukraine, while reiterating his willingness to hold direct talks with Moscow to seek a resolution to the conflict.
Zelensky defended the attacks carried out by Ukraine and reiterated his willingness to hold talks with Moscow to end the war
Putin also referred to the recent meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Washington. The Russian president stated that Moscow would welcome any constructive agreement between the United States and China.
Finally, Putin noted that his participation in the upcoming APEC summit, scheduled in China, will depend on the evolution of events within Russia. His statement keeps open the possibility of new diplomatic interaction as the Kremlin continues to evaluate both negotiation options with Ukraine and its response to Kiev's military operations.
