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.

Slovakia could host peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in the future after receiving approval from Vladimir Putin. The Russian leader who this week hosted Slovakian prime minister Robert Fico in Moscow,

Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský has stated that Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin has consistently rejected all peace proposals and continues to launch new strikes on Ukraine's regions every day.

Ukraine and Russia today swapped over 300 prisoners of war as Putin said he is "open to peace talks". Moscow's Defence Ministry said each side freed 150 prisoners of war, although Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the number of Kyiv's soldiers at 189. The reason behind the discrepancy is unclear at the moment.

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,

Slovakia on Friday confirmed its readiness to host peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, despite Kyiv's accusation that it is playing into the hands of Russian President Vladimir Putin.