Russia Says It Is Ready to Negotiate with Ukraine

Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesperson, announced on Thursday, July 25, that Moscow is ready to negotiate with Ukraine. However, he stated that it must first be seen how prepared the Ukrainian side is for negotiations. Dmytro Kuleba, the Ukrainian Foreign Minister, said on Wednesday, July 24, during a visit to China that Kyiv is ready to negotiate with Russia, provided that Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity are fully respected. He added that negotiations should be 'reasonable and practical' and aimed at achieving a 'lasting peace.' Nonetheless, Kuleba noted that Ukraine has seen no signs in this direction from the Kremlin. In this regard, Dmitry Peskov responded to the question of whether Russia is ready to negotiate with Ukraine while Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Ukraine, is in power, stating that very different statements have been observed so far and Ukraine's position is still not entirely clear. Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, recently stated that Moscow would end the war if Kyiv agrees to abandon its ambitions for NATO membership and hand over four regions claimed by Moscow, demands that Kyiv has rejected, labeling them as signs of 'surrender.' Parts of Ukrainian territory have been occupied following Russia's invasion on February 24, 2022. Russia had previously annexed the Crimean Peninsula. Reports indicate that Iranian Shahed drones have struck Romanian territory, with claims that Russia's target was Odessa in Ukraine. Russian drones have targeted the Ukrainian port of Izmail for the second day; the Netherlands and Denmark are supplying Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine; Russia has attacked Kharkiv. A phone conversation took place between a senior assistant to the President of Ukraine and Kamala Harris's National Security Advisor.