Peace negotiations in the Russian invasion of Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Dec. 19 he was ready for talks "anytime" with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who has touted his ability to strike a Ukraine peace deal within hours of coming to office.

Trump, who will return to the White House in January, has stoked fears in Kiev that he could force Ukraine to accept peace on terms favorable to Moscow.

Russia and Ukraine outlined their conditions for a ceasefire hours after U.S. President-elect Donald Trump called for an "immediate" cessation of hostilities.

Trump: "This war, Russia-Ukraine, is the stupidest thing and should never have been allowed to happen."

Dmytro Kuleba, former Foreign Minister of Ukraine, has expressed doubts about U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's ability to broker a peace deal in the ongoing war with Russia. In an interview with POLITICO, Kuleba stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin is unwilling to negotiate, viewing the war as a fight for Ukraine's statehood and sovereignty.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday promised more combat test-firing of an experimental hypersonic missile launched at Ukraine, as Volodymyr Zelensky appealed for updated air-defense systems to meet the new threat.

The latest statements from the leaders came hours after Ukraine's parliament shut down over heightened fears of a missile attack.

Vladimir Putin appears open to negotiations with Donald Trump in order to reach an agreement for a ceasefire in Ukraine, according to Reuters.

However, according to the same report, Putin rules out any compromise regarding territorial matters and insists that Ukraine must abandon its aspirations to join NATO.

FILE - This photo taken from video provided by the Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Feb. 19, 2022, shows a Russian Mobile launchers of Iskander short-range nuclear-capable missiles during a military exercise at a training ground in Russia. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP, File)

In this photo released by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024, a Russian Uragan self-propelled multiple rocket launcher fires towards Ukrainian positions from an undisclosed location in Ukraine. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)

Continuous and escalating pressure is being exerted on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky by European and other Western countries to alter his stance on the ongoing war and to sit down at the negotiation table with Vladimir Putin

French President Emmanuel Macron stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin is not interested in peace and is unwilling to negotiate. His remarks followed a large-scale Russian attack on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, which he described as a clear indication that Putin seeks to escalate hostilities.

Sergei Shoigu, Secretary of the Russian Security Council and a close ally of President Vladimir Putin, stated that the West should acknowledge Russia's advantage in the conflict with Ukraine and initiate negotiations to end the war, according to a report by Reuters.