ST. PETERSBURG, June 7. /TASS/. Power in Ukraine is usurped now, but Russia is ready to look for who it could negotiate with, President Vladimir Putin said in reply to questions at the plenary session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).

"The criminal code has relevant articles about usurpations of power, and it looks like we are dealing with usurpation of power [in Ukraine]," Putin stated. Nevertheless, he emphasized that negotiations are still possible. "Because according to Articles 9, 10 and 11 of the [Ukrainian] Constitution, power is transferred to the Rada speaker. So, if there is a wish to negotiate, it is possible to find with whom to negotiate," the Russian president said.

Russia "is ready for these negotiations," Putin pointed out. "Only, I repeat, on the terms that we agreed on when we started those negotiations in Minsk and then in Istanbul, and not based on some inventions," the Russian president said. At the same time, he emphasized that even if the Istanbul agreements are taken as the basis for negotiations, they must rely on the realities of today.