RismadarVoice Reporters
September 3, 2026
Russian President Vladimir Putin says a peace agreement to end the war in Ukraine remains possible, while Kyiv has expressed hope for renewed momentum in diplomatic efforts.
Speaking on Thursday at an economic forum in Vladivostok, Putin said several countries, including the United States and China, were willing to support efforts toward a settlement.
He, however, stressed that the final resolution would have to come from Russia and Ukraine, the two countries directly involved in the conflict.
“Is there a chance? In my view, yes, there is,” Putin said.
In Kyiv, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha also struck a cautiously positive tone, saying he expected a fresh phase of diplomatic engagement.
“I believe that we will now have a new dynamic in the peace efforts, with the return of this active phase of political and diplomatic engagement in many capitals around the world,” Sybiha told reporters.
He did not provide details about what had prompted the expected change, instead urging journalists to “follow the news.”
The comments come after four and a half years of fighting, with the conflict becoming one of Europe’s deadliest wars since World War II. Russia and Ukraine last held U.S.-mediated talks in February.
Despite the renewed diplomatic language, fighting has continued to intensify. Both sides have expanded long-range drone and missile attacks against targets deep inside each other’s territory, while hostilities at sea have also increased, including attacks involving ports and commercial shipping.
The escalation has contributed to disruptions in global grain markets, with Chicago wheat futures falling more than 2% following Putin’s remarks.
Putin also accused Ukraine of carrying out what he described as attacks on civilian merchant vessels and threatening civilian aviation. He called the alleged actions “acts of state terrorism” and said they were making direct peace negotiations more difficult.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned airlines and insurers that Russian airspace has become increasingly dangerous because of Ukrainian drone operations. He has maintained that Ukraine’s targets are Russian military facilities and that civilian aircraft are not being targeted.
Ukraine also asked the United Nations aviation agency on Wednesday to urge its members to prohibit operations in Russian airspace. Ukrainian airspace has remained closed to international civil aviation since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022.
Putin said communication channels between Moscow and Kyiv remained open, although he suggested that much of the contact was taking place through intelligence agencies.
“Contacts do exist and are continuing on an ongoing basis again, primarily through intelligence channels,” he said.
India has also indicated its willingness to support efforts toward ending the conflict. Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar, speaking alongside Sybiha in Kyiv, said New Delhi was prepared to assist in any way it could.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Putin on Monday that the war should end for the sake of humanity and said India would support efforts aimed at bringing the fighting to an end.
