Ukraine is open to negotiations, but Putin does not give up his imperialist aims - US State Department

This was stated by US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller.

"With respect to any meeting between President Zelenskyy and President Putin, I would say that is a decision for President Zelenskyy to make. We have made clear that Ukraine is in the driver’s seat when it comes to deciding the future of Ukraine, and that is true with respect to any potential negotiations," Miller said.

According to him, Ukraine has repeatedly stated that it is open to negotiations with Russia that will respect Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty.

"But the impediment has always been and continues to be that Vladimir Putin has not renounced his imperialist aims, has not renounced his belief that Ukraine is not a real country, in his words, and has not withdrawn his troops from beyond Ukraine’s borders," the US State Department official added.

• On August 6, Peskov and Medvedev said that Russia was against peace talks with Ukraine. It wants to control those regions of Ukraine that are currently listed as Russian in the constitution of the terrorist country.