Russian President Vladimir Putin has called on Western nations to pressure Ukraine into lifting its ban on peace negotiations with Moscow.

Speaking in an interview with Russia 1 TV journalist Pavel Zarubin, published on Telegram Friday, Putin stated that under the current circumstances, any talks would be "illegitimate" due to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's 2022 prohibition on engaging in dialogue with Russia.

"Kiev is in no rush to follow the orders of its sponsors, including when it comes to lifting the ban on talks with Russia," Putin said. He acknowledged that Western nations have been attempting to persuade Ukraine to remove the restriction but claimed that the "Kiev regime" remains content with the status quo, as it continues to receive "hundreds of billions [of dollars] from its sponsors" to "chomp down on."

"I believe that those, who provide [Kiev] with money, should ultimately make it [lift the ban on the talks]," Putin said, adding that Ukraine will eventually have no other choice but to discard the prohibition.

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Putin reiterated Russia's openness to peace talks, suggesting that "preliminary" contacts could happen now, though he admitted it would be "difficult to speak" about serious steps until Ukraine officially removes the ban. He also expressed optimism about finding "many points of contact" with the US on critical issues, including the Ukraine conflict, and reflected on his "pragmatic" relationship with former US President Donald Trump.

Trump, according to Putin, was "trustworthy" and might have prevented the Ukraine conflict had he remained in office. The Republican's "victory" not being stolen could have changed the trajectory of events, he said.

Dialogue Stalemate

Commenting on current US-Russia relations, Putin criticized President Joe Biden's administration for "giving up" on maintaining contact with Moscow. "We see the [current US] president's statements about [America's] readiness for joint work and are always open for it," he noted.

Meanwhile, Trump, inaugurated earlier this week, has expressed a desire for a swift resolution to the Ukraine conflict. He has publicly urged Moscow to negotiate a deal to end hostilities, warning of potential new sanctions otherwise. "I am not looking to hurt Russia," Trump declared, adding that he loves the Russian people. He also stated his willingness to meet Putin "immediately" to discuss peace efforts.

While Moscow has reiterated its readiness for dialogue with Washington, the Kremlin noted it has not yet received specific proposals from the US and reiterated the call for an "equal and respectful" approach in any future negotiations.

Read more: Russia open to equal dialogue with US, awaits signals: Kremlin