Four sources told Reuters on Friday that Russia is prepared to accept a ceasefire with Ukraine based on the current battlefield lines.
The news agency said that three of the contacts that they spoke to indicated that Russian President Vladmir Putin is frustrated with what he sees as efforts by Western countries to limit any peace talks to end the 27-month-long war.
"Putin can fight for as long as it takes, but Putin is also ready for a ceasefire – to freeze the war," said one of the officials, described as a senior member of the government.
Putin is reportedly prepared to bring an offensive to Kiev if there is no response to the proposal.
However, two of the individuals told Reuters that Putin may be weary of losing popularity that another mobilization to sustain such a measure would bring, especially considering that he could claim a victory with the territory that is already controlled by the Russian military.
When asked for comment on the matter at a news conference in Belarus, the Russian president said that peace talks should restart and be based on "the realities on the ground."
The Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba, responded to the allegation on X, accusing Moscow of attempting to derail an upcoming summit in Switzerland by sending out "phony signals" to other world leaders.
The statements come as Russia has made significant military advances in the region during the last few weeks.
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