Russian President Vladimir Putin has indicated he is open to talks with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky, for the first time since the early stages of the war.
"Russia has always viewed any peace initiatives positively.
"We hope that the representatives of Kiev will feel the same," he told Russian state television on Monday.
Putin's comments indicate a willingness to hold direct talks with Ukraine on not targeting civilian objects, says Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesman.
Zelensky did not respond directly to Putin, but said that Ukraine was "ready for any conversation" that would ensure the safety of civilians.
There have been no direct talks between the two sides since the first weeks after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
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"When the president said it was possible to talk about not targeting civilian objects, he meant negotiations and discussions with the Ukrainian side," Peskov explained to the Interfax news agency.
In a daily video address, Zelensky said Ukraine expects a "clear answer from Moscow" on whether it is ready to agree to a halt to attacks on civilian infrastructure.
Referring to the short-term and limited ceasefire declared by Putin for Easter, Zelensky proposed that the next step be to "cease all long-range drone and missile strikes on civilian infrastructure for a period of at least 30 days."
Putin said the Kremlin would "analyze" the proposal, telling reporters: "As for the proposal not to target civilian infrastructure, that needs to be considered."
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In one of his rare admissions, Putin confirmed that the Russian military had targeted a civilian facility when 35 people were killed and more than 100 wounded in the center of Sumy, a city in the northeast, earlier this month.
"Everyone knows very well about the attack by our armed forces on the congress center, I think, in the Sumy region. Is it a civilian facility or not? Civilian."
"But there was an awards ceremony held there for those who committed crimes in Kursk region", He said.
The center of Sumy was full of people at the time of the attack, who were celebrating the Christian holiday of Palm Sunday.
The region's deputy governor was later removed after reports emerged about a medal ceremony at a local convention center.
"Ukraine stands by its proposal not to attack civilian infrastructure. And we expect a clear response from Moscow."
"We are ready for any conversation about how to ensure this. The most obvious, simplest and most reliable way is to stop missile and long-range drone attacks," Zelensky said on Monday.
"That in itself would automatically ensure the security of the entire civilian infrastructure."
"A real and lasting ceasefire must be the first step towards a secure and lasting peace," he added.
Watch the moment a missile hit the Ukrainian city of Sumy
Ukraine will participate in talks with America and European countries in London on Wednesday, following a meeting in Paris last week, where leaders discussed possible paths to ending the war.
Zelensky said the "primary goal" of these talks is to "put pressure on an unconditional ceasefire."
Putin's proposal for direct talks comes as both sides accuse each other of violating a 30-hour "Easter truce" that Putin announced on April 19, but which has now expired.
Zelensky said the Russian military had violated the ceasefire nearly 3.000 times since the beginning of the week, while Russia accused Ukraine of hundreds of drone and artillery shell attacks.
The BBC was unable to confirm these claims.
Both sides are under increasing pressure from America, whose President Donald Trump has threatened to "withdraw" from further peace talks if there is no progress.
"Hopefully Russia and Ukraine will reach an agreement this week," Trump wrote on his social media account, Truth (Truth Social).
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