Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Russia is open to a Slovakian proposal to host peace talks with Ukraine to end a conflict he said Russia was determined to bring to a conclusion.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Russia is open to Slovakia hosting potential peace talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine. Putin told journalists north of St Petersburg that Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico made the proposal during his visit to Moscow last Sunday,

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.