Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday that Moscow wants to end the war in Ukraine “as soon as possible,” preferably through peaceful means, and is open to new negotiations, provided Kyiv and its allies are willing to engage.
Speaking at a roundtable with international journalists on June 18, Putin reiterated Russia’s readiness for talks with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The Kremlin has questioned Zelensky’s legitimacy, a narrative U.S. President Donald Trump echoed recently, calling Zelensky a “comedian turned dictator” who canceled elections. Ukraine postponed elections under martial law, citing legal and safety constraints during Russia’s invasion.
Putin said he informed Trump on June 14 that Russia would resume peace talks after June 22, following prisoner exchanges.
Our people are returning home from Russian captivity. These are warriors of the Armed Forces, the National Guard, and the State Border Guard Service. Most of them had been held captive since 2022.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) June 19, 2025
They are defenders of Ukraine who fought in the Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Luhansk,… pic.twitter.com/c4Xc8iHbr7
While open to talks with Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Putin questioned Berlin’s neutrality, citing Germany’s military support to Ukraine.
