Vladimir Putin said Russia was open to a Slovakian proposal to host peace talks with Ukraine with a view to end the war that nears the three-year mark

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico told Russian President Vladimir Putin during a recent visit to Moscow that his country was prepared to broker peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, the TASS news agency reported Thursday.

Vladimir Putin said Slovakia's prime minister offered on his recent visit to Moscow to host potential talks between Russia and Ukraine. Robert Fico made the trip as a halt to Russian gas deliveries via Ukraine beckons.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is holding talks with Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico in Moscow, state TV channel Rossiya 24 reported.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico of aiding Russian President Vladimir Putin by continuing to import Russian gas, thereby funding Russia's war against Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said any new deal for transporting natural gas through Ukraine will be challenging.

Responding to questions from journalists, Putin said that Slovakian officials "would be happy to provide their own country as a platform for negotiations. We are not opposed, if it comes to that. Why not?

Putin said the Slovakian authorities "...would be happy to provide their own country as a platform for negotiations. We are not opposed, if it comes to that. Why not? Since Slovakia takes such a neutral position.