The Kremlin issued a statement on Friday (25th) saying President Vladimir Putin was ready to authorize negotiations on Ukraine’s possible neutrality as the main airborne force blocked the border around Kiev and the main airborne force blocked western Kiev.
Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov said Putin was willing to accept Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s proposal to discuss a neutral country’s proposal and was ready to send a Russian delegation to Minsk, the capital of Belarus, to negotiate with the Ukrainian delegation.
The rouble and Russian stocks extended gains after the report. The ruble rose 2.9 percent, while Russia’s MOEX index rose 19 percent.
European stocks also expanded, the Stoxx Europe 600 index rose to 2.5%, and US stock futures S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 both strengthened.
Peskov noted that the Russian delegation will include representatives from the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Kremlin, and Minsk has been selected as the venue for the talks.
Earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said negotiations could begin if Ukraine was willing to surrender.