Putin Says Ukraine Ceasefire Prompted by Kyiv Security Warnings

Speaking late Saturday at a news conference in Moscow, Putin said that Russian officials told Washington that it would need to take safety measures for its diplomats in Kyiv in case Ukraine struck during Russia's military parade.

Putin said the idea of a ceasefire and prisoner exchange proposed by President Donald Trump emerged from those discussions over embassy security.

Russia's military parade passed off without incident Saturday after days of spiraling tensions between Russia and Ukraine until Trump unexpectedly announced the ceasefire late Friday. The truce would last May 9-11, he said, and that Moscow and Kyiv also agreed to swap 1,000 prisoners each.

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Putin spoke after holding talks with leaders from Slovakia, Malaysia and Laos.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said in a statement that he delivered a message to Putin from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy that he is ready to meet the Russian leader "in any format."

Putin, during the news conference in Moscow, said that he has repeatedly stated that he is ready to meet Zelenskiy in Moscow or any other place, but only for signing a peace accord.

The Russian leader also discussed his planned meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping later this month in China.

"In principle, we are at a high level of agreement on making a serious, very substantial step forward in cooperation in the gas and oil sector," Putin said. "Virtually all the key issues have been agreed. If we manage to finalize them and bring the process to a final point during the visit, I would be very pleased."

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