War in Ukraine: Putin says Russia does not reject peace talks

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he does not oppose the idea of peace talks for Ukraine.

Speaking after meeting African leaders in St Petersburg, he said an African and Chinese initiative could serve as the basis for finding peace.

Putin also said it was difficult to implement a ceasefire when the Ukrainian Army was on offensive.

Ukraine and Russia have earlier said they will not go to the negotiating table without specific preconditions.

Ukraine wants its borders as they were in 1991 restored, something the Kremlin deeply opposed.

Moscow argues instead that for negotiations to be held, Kiev must accept its country's new “territorial reality”.

Putin said at the press conference late Saturday night that there were no plans to intensify operations on the Ukrainian front at the moment, reports the BBC, broadcast Klankosova.tv.

He also defended the arrest of critical voices by the Kremlin, claiming some people were damaging Russia from within.

At the broad conference, the Russian president told reporters Moscow carried out several “preventive attacks” following an explosion at a Crime Bridge earlier this month.

Following the incident of the bridge, which left two people dead, Putin pledged to respond to what he claimed was an act of <x0-terrorist” from Ukraine. Kiev did not officially say it was responsible for the explosion on the bridge, which links the conquered peninsula with Russia.

The Russia-Affrighting summit comes after an African contingent, including leaders and representatives from seven countries, met with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky and Putin last month.