Kremlin says Putin open to ceasefire talks on civilian sites if Kyiv ‘clears obstacles’ | World News

Russia is ready to consider Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s proposal to halt attacks on civilian infrastructure, the Kremlin said on Tuesday, calling it a “complex topic” open to discussion but with no concrete talks currently planned.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that President Vladimir Putin was open to engaging on the issue. “Actually, the president explained the complexity of this topic just yesterday, answering journals’ questions. That is, if we talk about civilian infrastructure facilities, we need to clearly differentiate in what situations these facilities can be a military target, and in what situations they cannot,” Peskov said. He added that Putin noted “a civilian facility could become a military target if enemy combatants were meeting there.”
Zelenskyy had said on Monday that Ukraine remains committed to avoiding strikes on civilian targets. “Ukraine maintains its proposal not to strike at the very least civilian targets. And we are expecting a clear response from Moscow,” he said. “We are ready for any conversation about how to achieve this.”
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Both sides are under international pressure to move toward ending the war, now in its fourth year, especially after US President Donald Trump warned he may withdraw efforts to broker a peace deal.
Peskov said the recent 30-hour Easter ceasefire experience must also be considered. Each side had accused the other of violating the truce and a prior US-brokered moratorium on hitting energy targets.
Zelenskyy also stated that Ukraine’s “primary task” at upcoming talks in London with the US and European allies would be to push for an “unconditional ceasefire.”
While Ukraine had agreed to a 30-day ceasefire in principle last month, Putin responded with detailed questions and preconditions. Peskov reiterated that Moscow was open to talks but insed Kyiv must lift its 2022 legal ban on negotiations with Putin. “If Ukraine wanted to talk, then it should take steps to legally clear the obstacles to such contacts,” he said.
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