Putin says talks must focus on security for Russia, Ukraine and Europe overall

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that future talks on a settlement of the war in Ukraine should focus on security guarantees for ​both countries and an overall framework for security throughout Europe, Reuters reported.

Putin, interviewed on Russian ‌television a day after meeting US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff, confirmed that Russia was ready to resume US-mediated talks with Ukraine next month.

He restated longstanding Kremlin policy that Russia never wanted to launch a war, but ​had run into hostile reactions from Ukraine on key issues of concern to ​Moscow.

Talks on a variety of matters could lead to a positive outcome, ⁠he said, but Russia remained intent on a solution ending the conflict rather than a short-lived ceasefire.

"The ​goal of these talks will be to ensure the security of Ukraine and Russia after reaching ​peace agreements, in their final form, not as a result of a temporary ceasefire for some short period of time. We are ready to resume these contacts to achieve this goal," Putin said.

The Russian president ​said Witkoff also stressed that discussions had to extend to "the architecture of European security as ​a whole. And I agree with that too. Well, let's see how things develop in the coming days."

Ukrainian ‌President ⁠Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who met Witkoff in Norway on Tuesday, said Ukraine was ready for talks likely to take place by early next month. Ukraine, he said, supported "any proposals for a ceasefire, an end to the war, an energy ceasefire as well as humanitarian initiatives".

Efforts headed by the United ​States to pursue talks ​stalled in February ⁠with the outbreak of the US-Israeli conflict with Iran.

Many of the Ukraine war issues focus on territory, with Russia demanding Ukraine cede all of eastern Ukraine's Donbas ​region. Kyiv rejects any notion of giving up land it currently holds.