Vladimir Putin is willing to negotiate with anyone, including European leaders, but won't be the first to reach out. That's the message from the Kremlin on Friday.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov made the statement in response to Reuters queries about EU preparations for potential negotiations on Ukraine. He noted that Putin has consistently expressed openness to dialogue with all parties.
"However, as Putin has repeatedly stated, we will not initiate such contacts after the position taken by the Europeans," Peskov told reporters.
According to him, European governments severed ties with Moscow in 2022 following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Brussels and individual European capitals made that decision, not Russia, he insisted.
Peskov recalled that EU leaders chose to break contact with the Kremlin. It wasn't a Russian choice, he stressed.
Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico recently criticized European leaders for refusing direct dialogue with Putin. Fico said they want information about his talks with the Russian president without engaging themselves.
Russia is preparing to celebrate Victory Day on May 9, its most important national holiday. It commemorates the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.
Several world leaders have arrived in Moscow for the festivities. They include the presidents of Abkhazia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, South Ossetia, and Uzbekistan.
Malaysia's Sultan Ibrahim is also attending, along with Slovakia's Fico. The gathering underscores Russia's continued diplomatic engagement with friendly nations.
