MOSCOW, February 9. /TASS/. Moscow has never refused to negotiate a peaceful solution to the conflict in Ukraine, while the Kiev government publicly rejected talks with Russia, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview with Tucker Carlson published on the US journalist’s website.

He reminded the US journalist that Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky "issued a decree prohibiting negotiations with us."

"Let him cancel that decree. And that's it. We have never refused negotiations indeed. We hear all the time, is Russia ready? Yes. We have not refused. It was them who publicly refused. Well, let him cancel his decree and enter into negotiations. We have never refused," Putin said.