Kremlin open to discussing Zelenskyy's proposal to halt civilian attacks

President Putin is open to discussing President Zelenskyy’s call to halt attacks on civilian infrastructure, the Kremlin said Tuesday, though no talks are currently planned. The conflict has drawn renewed global pressure for progress toward peace.

The Kremlin announced on Tuesday that President Vladimir Putin is open to considering Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's proposal to stop attacks on civilian infrastructure by both Russia and Ukraine.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov called the matter complex but said Putin is willing to discuss it. However, he noted that no specific talks between the two countries are currently scheduled.

The war, now in its fourth year, has prompted calls for progress toward peace, especially after U.S. President Donald Trump warned last week he might stop efforts to broker a deal. Zelenskyy, speaking on Monday, reiterated Ukraine's willingness to engage in dialogue to end attacks on civilian sites and called for a clear response from Moscow.

Peskov said any such talks would need to reflect on the failed 30-hour Easter ceasefire announced by Putin, which both sides claimed the other violated, as well as a prior U.S.-mediated agreement to stop targeting energy facilities.

He quoted Putin as saying that civilian sites could become military targets if they are used for combat-related activities, stressing the need for careful discussion of such situations.

Civilian casualties have occurred on both sides during the war, with Ukraine bearing the brunt. On April 13, at least 35 people were killed in a Russian strike on Sumy, which Ukraine labeled a deliberate attack. Russia, however, claimed it had targeted a military meeting.

Zelenskyy stated that securing an unconditional ceasefire would be a top priority at upcoming talks with U.S. and European officials in London.

Although Ukraine previously agreed in principle to a 30-day ceasefire, Putin responded with various conditions. While Russia says it remains open to talks, the Kremlin claims legal barriers remain due to a 2022 Ukrainian decree banning negotiations with Putin following Moscow's annexation of four partially occupied Ukrainian regions.

Peskov added that if Ukraine truly wishes to negotiate, it must first lift those legal restrictions.

Copied