Dmitry Peskov, the spokesman for Russian leader Vladimir Putin, has said Putin is ready to hold talks with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, but that "the establishment of agreements should be discussed given the existing possibility of Zelenskyy's legitimacy being challenged".

Russian President Vladimir Putin is open to talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, yet questions Zelenskyy's legitimacy. EU chief Ursula von der Leyen seeks to partner with the US to secure lasting peace for Ukraine.

The Kremlin said on Tuesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin was serious about negotiating a settlement to end the war in Ukraine as high-level talks began in Saudi Arabia, and that Russia would prefer to achieve all its aims peacefully.