Kremlin Welcomes Signs Zelenskyy’s Ready to Negotiate, Says Questions Remain

A Kremlin spokesman said Moscow is unsure whether past Ukrainian government policies will still hinder direct peace talks.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov attends Russian President Vladimir Putin's annual televised year-end press conference and phone-in held in Moscow on Dec. 19, 2024. Sputnik/Gavriil Grigorov/Pool via Reuters

The Kremlin is cautiously welcoming new signs that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is ready to proceed in negotiations to end the Russia–Ukraine war.

The Ukrainian leader’s willingness to enter talks with Russia has been an open question in recent days. During a visit to the White House on Feb. 28, Zelenskyy indicated he had no interest in negotiating with Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom he called a “killer and terrorist.” Zelenskyy expressed further doubts about the viability of any diplomatic process with Russia, noting past unsuccessful attempts to ease tensions between Moscow and Kyiv.

According to U.S. President Donald Trump, Zelenskyy’s attitude toward negotiations has changed since the fractious Oval Office meeting. Addressing a joint session of Congress on March 4, Trump said the Ukrainian leader had sent him a letter earlier that day, which he quoted as saying: “Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than the Ukrainians.”

The letter Trump quoted matches a statement that Zelenskyy shared publicly on social media platform X on March 4.

“My team and I stand ready to work under President Trump’s strong leadership to get a peace that lasts,” Trump added, quoting Zelenskyy’s statement.

Reacting to Trump’s remarks, spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the Kremlin views the statement from Zelenskyy favorably, though it’s still uncertain how talks between Kyiv and Moscow can proceed.

“The question is who to sit down with,” Peskov said in an interview on March 5.

In September 2022, Zelenskyy signed a decree ending Ukraine’s participation in the Trilateral Contact Group, which had served as a channel to resolve the conflict between Kyiv and Russian-backed separatists in the Donbas region and was formed in 2014. Zelenskyy signed another decree that same month, declaring that direct negotiations with Putin were impossible.

Peskov said Zelenskyy’s September 2022 decrees still appear to be in effect, potentially posing an obstacle to negotiations.

“So, overall, the approach is positive, but the nuances have not changed yet,” the Kremlin spokesman said of potential talks between Moscow and Kyiv.

Zelenskyy’s March 4 press statement indicates he would hope to open talks with Russia through a prisoner exchange. The Ukrainian leader further called for both sides to halt airstrikes on the other’s civilian infrastructure and to cease fighting at sea.

Once these trust-building measures are in place, Zelenskyy said, Kyiv wants “to move very fast through all [the] next stages and to work with the U.S. to agree [on] a strong final deal.”

Zelenskyy offered this framework for negotiations a day after Trump paused the flow of U.S. military aid to Ukraine. In an interview with Fox News on March 5, White House national security adviser Mike Waltz said Trump would reexamine his decision to pause aid to Ukraine if the White House sees signs that Kyiv is committed to diplomacy.

“If we can nail down these negotiations, and move towards these negotiations, and in fact put some confidence-building measures on the table, then the president will take a hard look at lifting this pause,” Waltz said.

In his March 4 press statement, Zelenskyy indicated he remains interested in finalizing a deal whereby the United States would share in the profits from Ukraine’s natural resource development. The Ukrainian leader described this deal as being tied to new security guarantees from the United States.

“We see this agreement as a step toward greater security and solid security guarantees, and I truly hope it will work effectively,” Zelenskyy wrote.