Sergey Lavrov gave an extensive interview to the state-run TASS agency. The head of Russian diplomacy emphasized the need for a "lasting agreement on Ukraine." Simultaneously, in a propagandistic discourse,

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Russia is open to a Slovakian proposal to host peace talks with Ukraine to end a conflict he said Russia was determined to bring to a conclusion.

Ukraine and Russia today swapped over 300 prisoners of war as Putin said he is "open to peace talks". Moscow's Defence Ministry said each side freed 150 prisoners of war, although Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the number of Kyiv's soldiers at 189. The reason behind the discrepancy is unclear at the moment.

Slovakia on Friday confirmed its readiness to host peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, despite Kyiv's accusation that it is playing into the hands of Russian President Vladimir Putin.He said Slovakia had told Kyiv in October that it was available to host peace talks.

By Chris Summers Contributing Writer Russian President Vladimir Putin said he was ready for “compromises” over Ukraine in possible talks with President-elect Donald Trump but said Russian forces were in a

Russia rebuffed incoming U.S. President Donald Trump’s call for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine, while saying it’s ready to hold negotiations on a long-lasting peace agreement to end almost three years of war.