Ukraine war: Putin suggests Russia open to direct talks with Kyiv, as strikes continue

Moscow launched strikes across Ukrainian cities hours after Putin said he was considering a pause on civilian targets.

British Broadcasting CorporationWatch LiveHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsArtsArts in MotionTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingAudioPodcastsRadioAudio FAQsVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveWeatherNewslettersPutin suggests Russia open to direct talks with Ukraine, as strikes continue27 minutes agoShareSaveYang Tian & Frances MaoBBC NewsShareSaveGetty ImagesVladimir Putin signalled he was open to talks with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky for the first time since the early stages of the war, but Russian strikes continued hours after his comments.

Speaking to Russian state TV on Monday, Putin said Russia had "always looked positively on any peace initiatives. We hope that representatives of the Kyiv regime will feel the same way".

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin's comments indicated a willingness to engage in direct talks with Ukraine about not striking civilian targets.

However, Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities continued on Tuesday with a wave of strikes across the country.

A strike on an apartment block in Zaporizhzhia killed one woman and injured 20 others, including four children.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cpq7ywvw1lzo

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