Putin puts blame on Ukraine for stalled ceasefire talks

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday attempted to shift responsibility onto Ukraine for the lack of progress in negotiations to end the war he launched over three years ago.

Putin said he supported engaging in talks with Ukraine, but that expectations about the outcomes should not be "excessive."

He spoke at a meeting with Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko in Valaam, an island in north-west Russia.

"In order to reach a peaceful solution, we need thorough talks, not public ones. This should be done quietly, in the silence of the negotiation process," Putin said, according to the TASS news agency.

"If the Ukrainian leadership believes that now is not the time, that we need to wait, well, we are ready to wait."

Putin was responding to recent remarks by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in which he said meaningful negotiations will only be possible after a change of power in Moscow.

However, Zelensky signalled openness to dialogue on Friday.

In a post on X shortly after Putin's remarks, Zelensky wrote: "If these are signals of a genuine willingness to end the war with dignity and establish a truly lasting peace – and not merely an attempt to buy more time for war or delay sanctions – then Ukraine once again reaffirms its readiness to meet at the level of leaders at any time."

Moscow and Kiev resumed direct discussions in May for the first time since 2022. The subsequent three rounds of talks resulted in exchanges of prisoners and bodies, but no breakthrough on a halt to the fighting.

Putin's comments come as US President Donald Trump continues to pressure Moscow, threatening harsh tariffs on Russian oil exports if the war is not ended within a set timeframe.

Earlier this month, Trump threatened to hit Russia's trading partners with "severe" tariffs if Moscow did not agree to a ceasefire within 50 days, giving Putin a deadline of September 2.

But on Monday Trump said he would "reduce that 50 days that I gave him to a lesser number," saying this could be "10 or 12 days."Trump justified the move by saying he was disappointed with Putin, who had shown no willingness to compromise.

Putin has not commented on the new deadline. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said the Russian leader had "taken note" of the threat.

Putin reiterated that Russia's war aims remain unchanged. These include Ukraine giving up large swaths of territory and disarming and installing a pro-Russian government in Kiev, effectively demanding Ukraine's total surrender.