Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday suggested the possibility of peace talks with Ukraine, but firmly rejected any negotiations involving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, whom he termed “illegitimate.”

This latest development comes as the ongoing conflict between the two nations enters its third year, showing no signs of abating.

In his statement, Putin emphasised that while Russia was open to negotiations with Ukraine, any discussions would exclude Zelensky, accusing him of being an illegitimate leader.

The Russian president pointed to the expiration of Zelensky's presidential term during martial law as grounds for his rejection. Putin further stated that, if Zelensky were interested in participating in the talks, he would be willing to allocate representatives to engage in negotiations on his behalf.

“If there is a desire to negotiate and find a compromise, let anyone lead the negotiations there,” Putin remarked. “Naturally, we will strive for what suits us, what corresponds to our interests.”

In response, President Zelensky condemned Putin’s stance, accusing the Russian leader of evading negotiations. On social media platform X, Zelensky described Putin’s refusal as a sign of fear, claiming that the Russian leader was using “cynical tricks” to prolong the conflict and avoid a resolution. “Today, Putin once again confirmed that he is afraid of negotiations, afraid of strong leaders, and does everything possible to prolong the war,” Zelensky wrote.

The conflict in Ukraine has garnered global attention, as US President Donald Trump is exerting pressure on both Russia and Ukraine to engage in negotiations. Since taking office on January 20, Trump has threatened tougher sanctions on Russia while suggesting that Zelensky is open to a “deal.” However, Zelensky's administration has cautioned against any peace talks that exclude Ukraine from the process, warning that such an approach would only serve Putin’s interests and risk undermining the sovereignty of the country.

Kyiv has consistently emphasized the importance of being part of any discussions between Russia and the United States, asserting that Putin seeks to manipulate the process and use external influence to advance his own agenda.

Putin claims Western support to Ukraine is key to war's continuation

In a further escalation, Putin warned that the conflict could end within a matter of months if Western nations withdrew their support for Kyiv. He claimed that Ukraine's resistance was largely sustained by foreign military aid, and suggested that the end of such support would result in Ukraine’s swift collapse.

“They will not exist for a month if the money and, in a broad sense, the bullets run out,” Putin stated in an interview with state-run television. “Everything would be over in a month and a half or two.”

Despite Putin's predictions, the fighting shows little sign of de-escalating, as Russia continues to make territorial advances. The Russian Ministry of Defence reported on Tuesday that Russian forces had captured the village of Dvorichna in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region, marking another territorial gain in the ongoing conflict. The village, which had a pre-war population of over 3,000, was described by the ministry as having been “liberated” by Russian troops.