Russia says a Ukraine peace deal is theoretically possible.
Moscow warns Kyiv must make necessary decisions to end fighting.
Zelenskyy rejects peace talks that exclude Ukraine from negotiations.
Russian officials have said on Wednesday that a negotiated deal with Ukraine is "theoretically possible,” but it will require "necessary decisions" from Ukraine's leaders, as US special envoy Steve Witkoff met Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Russian officials warned that conditions for Ukraine “will be worse” if Kyiv does not take the decisions being demanded, according to CBS News.
According to local media, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Moscow would review the proposals on ending the war in Ukraine that US envoy Steve Witkoff brought to St. Petersburg. He added that the discussions would be lengthy.
Russian state media reported that officials told Witkoff on Wednesday that a meeting involving Trump, Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping was “possible.”
The White House has also raised the idea, but Ukrainian officials have opposed it, fearing they would be excluded from discussions about their country’s future.
At Wednesday’s meeting with Witkoff, Russian President Vladimir Putin thanked US President Donald Trump and his wife, Melania, for “their attention to efforts to end the war”.
Witkoff said peace negotiations showed “some degree of momentum” and described the Oslo discussions as “constructive,” according to the Guardian.
Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told Fox News on Wednesday that direct three-way talks involving himself, US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin offered the best chance of ending the war.
He rejected any peace settlement negotiated by China, Russia, and the US without Ukraine’s participation, insisting: “Don't talk about us without us.”
Zelenskyy Thanks US
After his meeting with Witkoff in Oslo, Zelenskyy thanked the US for resuming intelligence sharing on Russian attacks. Earlier this week, he said Ukraine was no longer receiving advance alerts about impending Russian missile strikes.
Tensions between Washington and Kyiv escalated after Trump unexpectedly eased sanctions on Russian diesel under an agreement with Putin. The rift deepened when Trump called for Zelenskyy’s removal after Ukraine rejected a halt to attacks on Russian oil refineries.
Russian officials announced that the first tanker transporting diesel to the US would leave on Thursday, marking the start of an initial shipment totalling around 300,000 tonnes.
