Budanov Says He'd Take Any Step for Peace After 1 Moscow Talks Offer Collapsed

1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Sep 4

Kyrylo Budanov said he is ready for “any step” to end the war if terms are acceptable to Ukraine, casting himself as unusually open to a negotiated peace with Russia.
At February talks in Geneva, Russian negotiators proposed that the Ukrainian delegation fly to Moscow for further discussions and a possible meeting with Vladimir Putin, Budanov said.
For Budanov, who is wanted in Russia on terrorism charges from his time as Ukraine’s military spy chief, the trip carried the risk of arrest or worse.
The Moscow visit never materialized and the negotiations soon stalled, but the episode highlights Budanov’s effort to pair his wartime record with a role in any eventual settlement.