President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that Russia was ready to hold a new round of peace negotiations with Ukraine, potentially in Istanbul, although the time and venue had yet to be agreed. Putin said there were big differences between the proposals submitted by the two sides at previous talks but expressed hope that continued dialogue would help narrow the gap.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday said Moscow is ready for a fresh round of direct peace talks with Ukraine, even as both warring countries traded long-range drone attacks. Speaking to reporters in Minsk,

Russian President Vladimir Putin has lauded Donald Trump as a “courageous” leader who “cheated death twice,” referring to the former U.S. president’s survival of past assassination attempts and recent threats.