Moscow signals openness to talks, with conditions
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said Moscow is open to dialogue with Washington on settling the Ukraine conflict, but will not sacrifice its fundamental positions. In an interview published by News.ru on Friday, Ryabkov said Russia is ready to consider any reasonable proposals and ideas that align with the goals set by President Vladimir Putin and meet the "realities on the ground."
"The Russian Federation is ready to listen to any reasonable proposals and ideas that are in line with the goals set by the Russian president and meet the 'realities on the ground'," Ryabkov was quoted as saying.
According to TASS, Ryabkov noted that the American side has demonstrated a readiness to engage in constructive dialogue and to understand Russia's position. He added that what matters more now is whether "Washington can influence the decisions of the Kiev regime and its European sponsors, who still dream of a strategic defeat on Russia."
Ryabkov also referenced US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's indication that new ideas toward a settlement are needed, saying Russia is ready to listen if these constitute the mentioned "efforts" of the Americans. "We remain open to dialogue with Washington, but that does not mean that we will abandon our fundamental positions," he said. He concluded that time is now working against Kyiv and the EU, "something they will have to reckon with."
Context of stalled negotiations
Ryabkov's remarks come amid a backdrop of stalled US-brokered negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv. Several rounds of talks at the start of the year failed to reach a settlement, and further discussions slated for early March were cancelled as the US launched its war on Iran alongside Israel, according to Al Jazeera.
Earlier, Moscow welcomed what it described as the United States' demonstrating "an understanding of Russia's position," but Washington has been distracted from mediation efforts amid its war on Iran, the outlet reported.
Putin has previously demanded that before agreeing to a ceasefire, Ukraine must hand over the whole of the eastern Donbas region, demilitarise, and pledge it will not seek to join NATO.
The meetings followed the circulation of a 28-point, Washington-generated peace plan last November that raised ire for its capitulations to Russian demands, Al Jazeera reported.
US special envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff led the negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv earlier this year, but the Kremlin said on Thursday that it has no new information on a potential visit from the duo.
Ukraine's response
Ukraine is awaiting the return of the US mediators. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Thursday evening that he was "preparing decisions within the diplomatic team." He noted that "new approaches are needed in some areas, particularly in the United States" and that "Ukraine needs results."
Zelenskyy met with US President Donald Trump at the White House last month, where they discussed reviving the talks and plans for Ukraine to produce Patriot missiles, according to Al Jazeera.
Continued clashes on the ground
On the ground, Russia and Ukraine have stepped up deadly attacks in recent weeks, with dozens killed and neighbouring nations becoming increasingly concerned about potential spillover.
In eastern Ukraine's Kharkiv region, Russian attacks killed two women, the state emergency services wrote on Telegram. The attack triggered fires at five residential buildings and several cars.
Another attack on a home killed one person and injured another in Ukraine's Zaporizhia region, governor Ivan Federov said.
In Russia, a Ukrainian drone attack damaged an industrial facility in the Perm region in the Ural mountains, according to regional governor Dmitry Makhonin.
Russian drones damaged a border crossing with Moldova in Ukraine's southern Odesa region, Ukrainian authorities said.
Finland's border guard said a suspected Russian reconnaissance plane violated Finnish airspace in the western gulf on Thursday, an incident that could add to regional tensions.