• Putin emphasizes the possibility of peace talks if "common sense prevails."
• He expresses readiness to end the conflict by force if negotiations fail.
• Putin's demands include Ukraine's abandonment of NATO aspirations and addressing Russian speakers' rights.
• Zelensky is prepared to meet Putin but rejects the Kremlin's proposal for Moscow as the venue.
• US President Trump supports negotiations and potential sanctions on Russia if talks collapse.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has stated that there is a chance to end the ongoing war in Ukraine through negotiations "if common sense prevails," although he is prepared to resolve the conflict by force if it becomes necessary. Speaking in Beijing after a visit, he noted a "certain light at the end of the tunnel" stemming from what he described as sincere efforts by the United States to facilitate a settlement to the conflict, which is termed Europe's largest land war since World War II. He remarked that "if common sense prevails, it will be possible to agree on an acceptable solution to end this conflict," according to Reuters, SCMP, and India Times.

Despite advocating for dialogue, Putin reiterated his longstanding demands, which include Ukraine renouncing any plans to join NATO and addressing what Moscow claims is discrimination against Russian speakers and ethnic Russians. He expressed willingness to hold talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky should the latter travel to Moscow, but emphasized that such discussions must be well prepared and lead to tangible outcomes. This firm stance stems from his view that Zelensky's government lacks legitimacy, a position that Kyiv disputes since elections cannot occur amid ongoing martial law, according to Reuters, SCMP, and India Times.

Zelensky has been actively seeking a meeting to discuss the terms of a potential agreement. However, he has rejected Putin's proposal to hold such talks in Moscow, with Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha highlighting that multiple countries are willing to host negotiations instead. Zelensky remains committed to engaging with Putin, aiming to find a way forward even though significant gaps exist between their positions. Amid these diplomatic efforts, U.S. President Trump has expressed his desire for the leaders to meet and mentioned the possibility of imposing further sanctions on Russia should negotiations not materialize, according to Reuters, SCMP, and India Times.