Russian President Putin has signalled he is open to bilateral talks with Ukrainian leader Zelensky for the first time since the early stages of the war.

As reported by BBC, Putin told Russian state television on Monday that Russia has "always looked positively on any peace initiatives." We hope Kyiv regime representatives feel the same way".

Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesperson, claimed Putin's words indicated a willingness to engage in direct negotiations with Ukraine about not attacking civilian targets.

Zelensky did not answer directly to Putin's comments, but said Ukraine was "ready for any conversation" to safeguard the safety of citizens, BBC reported.

There have been no direct talks between the two sides since February 2022 when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.