Russia Ready for Negotiations With Ukraine, But Situation and Conditions Changing, Kremlin Says

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia remains ready to negotiate with Ukraine, at the same time the situation and conditions are changing, but the goals of the special military operation remain the same, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday.

"President [of Russia Vladimir Putin] said that Russia, of course, retains its willingness to negotiate. But as the situation changes, so do the conditions, and we have repeatedly spoken about this. But in general, the principle remains the same: all the goals of the special military operation [remain the same]," Peskov told reporters.

He noted it was Ukraine that earlier abandoned the negotiations.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky previously stated that he is not ready for talks with Moscow, and the Kremlin stressed there are no such prospects at the moment. In the first months of the military operation, however, Zelensky repeatedly urged Putin to meet with him in person

On February 24, Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine after the republics of Donetsk and Lugansk appealed for help in defending themselves against Ukrainian forces. Moscow stated that its aim was to liberate Donbass, which is suffering from an eight-year-long war waged by Kiev, and to ensure the security of Russia.