Volodymyr Zelensky: We are ready to engage in negotiations to end the war

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday, October 22, that future negotiations aimed at ending the war in Ukraine should focus on security guarantees for both countries, as well as a broader security framework for Europe.

Speaking to Russian television a day after meeting with US envoy Steve Witkoff, Putin confirmed that Moscow was prepared to resume US-mediated negotiations with Ukraine next month.

The Russian president reiterated the Kremlin’s position that Russia had not sought to initiate the conflict, claiming that Moscow had faced hostility from Ukraine on matters it considered vital to its national interests.

Putin expressed cautious optimism that discussions on various issues could produce positive results, while emphasizing that Russia remained committed to a lasting settlement rather than a temporary ceasefire.

“The aim of these talks will be to guarantee the security of Ukraine and Russia” following a final peace agreement, Putin said, stressing that such guarantees should not result merely from a short-term truce.

According to the Russian president, Witkoff had also suggested that negotiations should address the broader “architecture of European…