The Kremlin has indicated that President Vladimir Putin is willing to discuss a proposal by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to halt attacks on civilian infrastructure. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov described the issue as complex but stated that Putin is open to dialogue. However, Peskov also noted that there are no immediate plans for direct talks between Russia and Ukraine.
With the war in Ukraine now in its fourth year, both sides are under increasing pressure to show progress towards ending the conflict, particularly after U.S. President Donald Trump recently threatened to withdraw efforts to mediate a peace deal. Zelensky had expressed Ukraine’s readiness to engage in discussions aimed at ending attacks on civilian infrastructure, emphasizing that Ukraine seeks a commitment not to target such facilities.
Zelensky’s comments came on Monday, with him reiterating Ukraine’s stance and calling for a clear response from Moscow. “We are ready for any conversation about how to achieve this,” he stated.
In response, Peskov explained that the matter should be addressed in light of recent events, such as a 30-hour Easter ceasefire declared by Putin. He did not elaborate on the link between the ceasefire and the current proposal, but both sides had accused each other of violating the truce, as well as a prior U.S.-brokered moratorium on attacking energy infrastructure like power grids and oil refineries.
Peskov further noted that discussions about civilian infrastructure need to consider specific circumstances where these facilities could be deemed military targets. Quoting Putin, he said that a civilian location might become a legitimate target if enemy military personnel were meeting there. These “nuances,” Peskov added, would need to be addressed in any talks.
The ongoing conflict has resulted in significant civilian casualties, particularly in Ukraine, where a Russian missile strike on April 13 killed at least 35 people in the city of Sumy. Ukraine labeled the attack as a deliberate assault on civilians, while Russia maintained it had struck a meeting of Ukrainian military officers.
Zelensky also emphasized that the main objective of upcoming talks in London with U.S. and European leaders would be to push for an unconditional ceasefire. While Ukraine had agreed to the concept of a 30-day ceasefire last month, Putin responded with a series of conditions. Russia has previously expressed its willingness to negotiate but pointed out that a 2022 decree by Zelensky barring talks with Putin has created legal obstacles to direct discussions. Peskov suggested that if Ukraine seeks dialogue, it must first address these legal barriers.
