MOSCOW / KIEV - Russian President Vladimir Putin remains ready to hold negotiations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky if necessary, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday.
Russia has been committed to finding a peaceful resolution to the Ukrainian conflict from the very beginning, Peskov was quoted by TASS news agency as saying.
He stressed that a long-term settlement of the Ukrainian conflict cannot be achieved without addressing security concerns.
"As for the security architecture in Europe, of course, a comprehensive settlement, a long-term and viable settlement is impossible without a comprehensive consideration of security issues on the continent," Peskov said.
Washington has appointed US President Donald Trump's Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg to represent the United States in negotiations on Ukraine, local media reported on Tuesday, citing Russian Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov following talks with US officials in Riyadh.
Ushakov said Kellogg would hold contacts with Ukraine and Europe, and another representative or group of representatives will be selected for dialogue on Russia-US relations.
He said that Putin would also appoint representatives from the Russian side that would take part in bilateral talks with Washington.
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Kellogg arrived in Kiev on Wednesday, the Ukrainian government-run Ukrinform news agency reported. During his visit, Kellogg will meet Zelensky.
Speaking to reporters, Kellogg described his trip as "a chance for good potential negotiations," Ukraine's public broadcaster Suspilne reported.
"Part of my mission is to listen" before returning to the United States to report to President Donald Trump, Kellogg said.
He emphasized that the United States recognizes the importance of security guarantees for Ukraine.
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Meanwhile, no specific date has been set yet for a potential meeting between Putin and Trump, media reported, citing Ushakov.
Moscow and Washington agreed to work together to create necessary conditions for the meeting, he said.
"We agreed to take each other's interests into account, while also advancing bilateral relations, since both Moscow and Washington are interested in this," he added.
Ushakov said that both sides "outlined their fundamental approaches" on Ukraine and agreed that negotiating teams from both countries would remain in contact.
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However, he acknowledged that it remains unclear whether their positions are aligning.
The high-level talks between Russian and US officials began in Riyadh on Tuesday. The Russian delegation, led by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Ushakov, met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Rubio was accompanied by National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and US special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff.
The talks, which lasted around four and a half hours, focused on restoring Russia-US ties and exploring possible negotiations on Ukraine.
