Putin Says Ukraine Talks 'On the Table' as He Welcomes US-China Dialogue

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that proposals to resume talks with Ukraine remain open, even as he signalled that Moscow would carefully consider its response to recent Ukrainian attacks deep inside Russia and on Russian-held areas of Ukraine.

Speaking to reporters in St Petersburg on the sidelines of a culture forum, Putin said the strikes were aimed at provoking escalation and would not produce the outcome their backers sought. He said such actions only worsen the position of those responsible, and that while avenues for reconciliation and proposals to restart negotiations are "all on the table," Russia will think carefully about what it needs to do in response.

Putin also welcomed the dialogue between the United States and China, which followed Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Washington. He said the two countries are the world's largest economies, and that whatever they agree on contentious issues — including problems arising from what he described as illegitimate US sanctions — will affect the entire global economy, including Russia's.

Asked whether he would attend the APEC summit in China in November in person, Putin said he is fully determined to take part and considers participation in such a forum beneficial, a view he said he has shared with Xi. He added that his attendance will ultimately depend on the situation within Russia.

The remarks came at the end of a news conference during which reporters questioned the Russian president on diplomacy, sanctions and his travel plans.