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Russian President Vladimir Putin has said there is a possibility of reaching an agreement to end the war in Ukraine, speaking at an economic forum in Russia’s Far East on Thursday.
He said several countries, including the United States and China, were ready to support a peace settlement.
“But ultimately, the countries involved in the conflict—Russia and Ukraine—must resolve this issue themselves. We are grateful to everyone trying to contribute to a settlement. Is there a possibility? In my view, yes, there is,” Putin said.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha told reporters in Kyiv that he believed peace efforts could gain new momentum as active political and diplomatic engagement resumed in capitals around the world.
“I believe that with the return of this active phase of political and diplomatic engagement in different capitals around the world, there will now be new momentum in the peace efforts,” Sybiha said, without elaborating. He urged journalists to “watch the news” regarding the peace process.
After four and a half years of the conflict, one of Europe’s deadliest since World War II, optimistic assessments about the prospects for peace between Russia and Ukraine remain rare. The two sides last met for US-mediated talks in February.
Since then, with the United States occupied with the war in Iran, both Russia and Ukraine have intensified long-range airstrikes deep inside each other’s territory. Fighting at sea has also sharply escalated, with both sides attacking ports and commercial vessels, contributing to higher grain prices globally.
However, neither Putin nor Sybiha cited any specific reason for expecting progress in the peace efforts. Instead, the Kremlin leader said recent Ukrainian actions had created obstacles.
In response to a question, Putin described Ukraine’s attacks on civilian commercial vessels and reports of “threats of attacks on civilian aircraft” as “acts of state terrorism,” which he said had complicated the prospects for bilateral peace talks.
