Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that Russia and Ukraine, as the direct parties to the war, should take the lead in negotiating an agreement to end the conflict, while other countries can provide support and assistance. Speaking at a plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum, Putin said Moscow and Kyiv should first reach an agreement among themselves on ending the war.

Moscow claims to be ready for peace once the "root causes" of the Russia-Ukraine War are addressed, but Putin's demands confirm that he believes the "root cause" of the war is the…

Vladimir Putin stressed that Russia is ready for a negotiation process with everyone who wants it