Russia Responds Positively to Zelenskiy's Willingness for Peace Talks, But Questions Remain

The Kremlin has welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's recent statement expressing Kyiv's willingness to negotiate an end to the ongoing war. However, Russian officials remain uncertain about who they would be negotiating with, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday.

Zelenskiy's message, conveyed through a letter to former U.S. President Donald Trump, was made public by Trump during an address to Congress on Tuesday. Quoting from the letter, Trump stated, “Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than the Ukrainians.”

When asked about Moscow’s response, Peskov acknowledged the statement positively but highlighted a key obstacle. “The question is who to sit down with. For now, the Ukrainian president is still legally prohibited from negotiating with the Russian side. So, overall, the approach is positive, but the nuances have not changed yet,” he said.

Peskov referred to a decree signed by Zelenskiy in 2022 that explicitly ruled out negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin. This decree has been a significant barrier to direct peace talks between the two nations.

While Zelenskiy's statement indicates a shift in Ukraine’s stance, it remains unclear whether any concrete steps will be taken to revise the 2022 decree or if alternative channels for negotiations will be explored. Moscow continues to insist on clear terms and a recognized negotiating counterpart before formal talks can commence.

The war, which has been ongoing for more than two years, has resulted in massive casualties, economic disruption, and geopolitical instability. Global leaders continue to urge both sides to pursue diplomatic resolutions, but significant political and legal hurdles remain.

As developments unfold, the international community watches closely to see if this new expression of willingness to negotiate will translate into tangible peace efforts or remain an unresolved diplomatic impasse.