MOSCOW, July 24. /TASS/. Vladimir Zelensky and his ministers should cancel the legislative ban on negotiations with Russia, Leonid Slutsky, chairman of Russia’s State Duma Committee on International Affairs and leader of the LDPR party, wrote on his Telegram channel.

"We have never refused to negotiate. And the position is well-known, as all proposals for a ceasefire and a real ‘peace formula’ were announced by President Vladimir Putin. But before making any statements, Zelensky and his ministers should at least cancel the legislative ban on holding talks," he wrote.

The lawmaker emphasized that Russia had always conducted talks in good faith and was poised to ink the Istanbul peace accords back in 2022, after withdrawing its troops from the Kiev and Chernigov areas.

Slutsky recalled that Zelensky had already hinted at negotiations, assuring that he realizes the need for "ending the war as soon as possible", while Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba told his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi during their meeting about "willingness and readiness for dialogue" with Moscow.