By Elena Teslova
MOSCOW (AA) - Russian President Vladimir Putin is "open" to "achieving goals" in Ukraine by other means than military, the Kremlin claimed on Saturday.
Commenting on reports about France's initiative to host a peace summit on Ukraine, spokesman Dmitry Peskov told TV channel Rossiya 24 that peaceful ways of achieving goals in Ukraine would be "preferable."
"President Putin has been, is, and will be open to any contacts in order to achieve the fulfillment of our tasks by other means than military operation. If (non-military ways) were possible, it would be preferable," he said.
He added that French President Emmanuel Macron and other European leaders have to be aware of this position.
At the same time, he added: “The countries of the collective West do not leave Russia any other path but military at the moment."
For the goals of its "special military operation," which started in February 2022, Russia has named “denazification,” demilitarization, the protection of rights of Russian speakers, including the right to speak Russian and use it in everyday life and to practice Orthodox Christianity.