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Putin calls politics 'art of compromise,' says Russia ready for talks, unlike Ukraine

The Russian president reiterated that the relevant agreements between the parties, in fact, were reached in Istanbul in 2022

MOSCOW, December 19. /TASS/. Russia is ready for negotiations and compromises, "politics is the art of compromise," but Ukraine refuses to negotiate, President Vladimir Putin said at the combined Direct Line Q&A and year-end press conference.

"Politics is the art of compromise. And we have always said that we are ready to negotiate and to compromise. It's just that the other side - in the literal and figurative sense of the word - has refused to negotiate, while we are always ready for it," he said in response to an American journalist's question about Russia's willingness to compromise in the context of the conflict over Ukraine.

According to the president, compromises are always the result of these negotiations. He also noted that the relevant agreements between the parties, in fact, were reached in Istanbul in 2022. "And, I repeat for the hundredth time, the Ukrainian side initialed this document, so, in general, was in agreement with it, then for some reason refused. Well, why? Because Mr. [former UK Prime Minister Boris] Johnson came, this man with good hair, and said that they [Ukraine] need to fight to the last Ukrainian," Putin pointed out.