Donetsk, Oct 18 — DAN. Russian President Vladimir Putin said that if Ukraine wants peace talks, it must first cancel President Vladimir Zelensky’s decree which bans such negotiations.

“When asked about the prospects for a peaceful settlement, I said what I had repeatedly spoken about, ” Putin said at a press conference following his visit to China. “If Ukraine really wants negotiations, it should not be theatrical; the first thing to do is to lift the Ukrainian president’s ban on talks.” *jk