Talks with Kyiv would not mean Russia halts Ukraine operation - Foreign Ministry

MOSCOW. Feb 25 (Interfax) - Potential talks with Kyiv, should they be organized in Minsk, do not nullify the attainment of the goal of Russia's current special military operation in Ukraine, the Russian Foreign Ministry's spokesperson Maria Zakharova said.

"We said that we were ready now [for such talks]. Certainly, the tasks already facing [Russia], which were set by our president before this operation started, were not cancelled by anyone, they are still relevant, of course," Zakharova told a briefing on Friday.

The statement that such talks were possible was a response to the relevant request from Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, she said.