Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed his readiness to hold talks with US President-elect Donald Trump, stating he is prepared to meet “anytime” to discuss a potential peace agreement on Ukraine.
Speaking during his annual end-of-year press conference on Thursday, Putin addressed Trump’s claims of being able to broker a peace deal for Ukraine within hours of taking office.
Trump, who will be returning to the White House in January, has raised concerns in Kyiv that his approach could lead to a settlement favouring Moscow.
“I don’t know when I’m going to see him. He isn’t saying anything about it. I haven’t talked to him in more than four years. I am ready for it, of course. Any time.
“If we ever have a meeting with President-elect Trump, I am sure we’ll have a lot to talk about,” he said, he added, emphasising Russia’s openness to “negotiations and compromises.”
The Kremlin has responded positively to Trump’s criticism of the Biden administration’s decision to allow Kyiv to use US-supplied missiles on Russian territory, which marked a major escalation in the ongoing conflict.
Putin acknowledged that his forces maintain an advantage on the battlefield but admitted uncertainty regarding the recapture of the Kursk region, which saw a Ukrainian incursion in August.
During the lengthy press session, which serves as both a public relations exercise and a platform for challenging questions, Putin also addressed internal security concerns, offering a rare admission of his agencies’ failures.
He criticised Russian security services over their inability to prevent the killing of a senior military general in Moscow, allegedly orchestrated by Ukraine.
“Our special services are missing these hits. They missed these hits. It means we need to improve this work. We must not allow such very serious blunders to happen,” he said.
