The Russian Foreign Ministry's deputy spokesperson Alexei Fadeev (Photo: Reuters)

The Russian Foreign Ministry's deputy spokesperson Alexei Fadeev told reporters, "Russia's position remains unchanged, and it was voiced in this very hall just over a year ago, on June 14, 2024," referring to a speech Putin delivered then at the foreign ministry. At that time, the Kremlin chief set out demands including the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the parts of some regions.

Putin and US President Donald Trump are due to meet on Friday in Alaska, the first US-Russian summit since 2021, to discuss efforts to end the conflict. Trump has said both sides will have to swap some of the land they currently hold to make this happen.

During a virtual meeting with EU leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Wednesday, Trump threatened "severe consequences" if Putin does not agree to peace in Ukraine but also said that a meeting between them could swiftly be followed by a second that would include the leader of Ukraine.