Putin ready to send representative for talks with Ukraine

Moscow has agreed to send representatives to the Belarusian capital of Minsk to talk with Kyiv, according to a readout from Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, Russian state news agency RIA-Novosti reported.

“Following Zelensky’s proposal to discuss the neutral status of Ukraine, [Russian President Vladimir] Putin can send representatives of the [Russian] Ministry of Defense, the Foreign Ministry and his administration to negotiations with the Ukrainian delegation,” the readout said, according to RIA.

Minsk was chosen as a platform for the conversation, the readout added.