“When the president said that it was possible to discuss the issue of not striking civilian targets, including bilaterally, the president had in mind negotiations and discussions with the Ukrainian side,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, according to Interfax news agency.
Zelenskyy made no reference to Putin’s remarks on bilateral talks in his comments on X announcing the Ukrainian delegation for the London talks.
“Ukraine, the United Kingdom, France, and the United States – we are ready to move forward as constructively as possible, just as we have done before, to achieve an unconditional ceasefire, followed by the establishment of a real and lasting peace,” Zelenskyy wrote, adding that he had good discussions with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Earlier on Monday, Zelenskyy said that his forces were instructed to continue to mirror the Russian army’s actions.
“The nature of Ukraine’s actions will remain symmetrical: ceasefire will be met with ceasefire, and Russian strikes will be met with our own in defence. Actions always speak louder than words,” he said on X.
US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio both said on Friday that Washington could walk away from peace talks altogether if the sides do not make more progress within days. Trump struck a more optimistic note Sunday, saying that “hopefully” the two sides would make a deal “this week”.
