MOSCOW, December 19. /TASS/. Moscow is ready to engage in talks on Ukraine without preconditions, but based on previous agreements and the current situation, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.

"We have no preconditions. We are ready to hold dialogue without preconditions, but based on the agreements we made during the negotiation process in Istanbul in late 2022 and the current realities on the ground," the head of state emphasized at his combined annual press conference and question-and-answer session.

Putin clarified that his June address had outlined all Russian proposals regarding the Ukraine issue.

Still, Russia is prepared to sign peace agreements with any legitimate authorities in Ukraine, including Vladimir Zelensky, but the current Kiev authorities are illegitimate. "If someone runs in an election and gains legitimacy, we will talk with anyone, including Zelensky. If Ukraine truly wants to embark on a path to a peaceful solution, they will certainly be able to do so. They can organize the process inside Ukraine as they see fit, but we can only sign [peace agreements] with those who have legitimacy," the Russian president stressed.

According to him, the Verkhovna Rada (Ukraine’s parliament) and its chairman have legitimacy. "He is completely subordinate to the head of the regime. It’s a purely formal legal issue. They can do whatever they wish inside the country, but when it comes to signing documents, we can only sign them with the representatives of legitimate government bodies, that’s all," Putin concluded.