Moscow, Russia - Russia has welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's stated willingness to negotiate for peace, calling it a "positive" step.

But Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov questioned the practicality of such talks, noting that Zelensky had legally barred negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin through a decree he signed in 2022.

"So, in general, the approach is positive, but the nuances have not yet changed," Peskov said. "For the time being, there's still a legal ban on the president of Ukraine negotiating with the Russian side."

Zelensky said on Tuesday he was ready to work under US President Donald Trump's "strong leadership" to achieve a lasting peace in Ukraine, days after their explosive Oval Office meeting in which Zelensky called Putin a "killer and terrorist."

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The fiery exchange led to Trump to pause US military aid to Ukraine as a pressure tactic to get him to move toward a quick end to the war launched by Russia.

Peskov also responded to Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko's offer to host negotiations in Minsk, calling it "the best place" due to Belarus being Russia's "most important ally."

However, Ukraine views Belarus as a warring party, given its role in facilitating Russian military actions, making such a venue unlikely.