Moscow, Dec 19: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday said that he was open to talks with US President-elect Donald Trump “anytime.”Trump, who has suggested he could broker a Ukraine peace deal quickly after taking office, has raised concerns in Kyiv that he might push Ukraine to accept terms favourable to Moscow.
During his annual year-end press conference, Putin acknowledged that Russian forces had the upper hand on the battlefield but admitted uncertainty over when Russia might regain control of the western Kursk region, where Ukrainian troops launched an incursion in August.The event, a televised show lasting hours, also saw Putin facing some tough questions. When asked about Trump’s peace overtures, Putin said that he would welcome a meeting with the incoming president.
“I don’t know when I’m going to see him. He isn’t saying anything about it. I haven’t talked to him in more than four years. I am ready for it, of course. Any time,” AFP quoted Putin as saying. “If we ever have a meeting with President-elect Trump, I am sure we’ll have a lot to talk about,” he said, adding that Russia was ready for “negotiations and compromises”.
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