Charles Mainz

Charles Mainz, NPR News, Moscow.

At a meeting with his Security Council, Putin was asked to comment on widespread media reports of the U.S.

peace plan.

The Kremlin leader confirmed Russia had received the U.S.

proposal, adding he thought it could be the basis for a lasting settlement.

Yet Putin cautioned that the U.S.

had not discussed its ideas substantively with Russia, arguing it likely meant the White House had yet to convince Ukraine to accept terms.

Putin also insisted Moscow would achieve its objectives in Ukraine either way, but

pointing to recent Russian gains on the battlefield.

Critics of the U.S.

plan say it tilts heavily in Russia's favor, with calls for Ukraine to cede territory, cap its military, and renounce ambitions to join NATO.

Charles Mainz, NPR News, Moscow.

In an interview with a Russian policy journal, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Rybkov said the prospect of a new Trump-Putin meeting remained.

I wouldn't rule anything out, said Rybkov, who characterized ongoing dialogue between Washington and Moscow as impressive.

Those comments come amid a new push by President Trump to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine.

President Putin has loosely endorsed Trump's draft plan, which critics say skews heavily in Moscow's favor.

Trump and Putin last met for a hastily scheduled summit in Alaska last August that failed to achieve a diplomatic breakthrough.

Then Trump complained the Russian leader still wasn't ready for peace and canceled a potential follow-on meeting last month in Hungary.

Charles Mainz, NPR News, Moscow.

In an interview with a Russian policy journal, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Rybkov said the prospect of a new Trump-Putin meeting remained.