MOSCOW

Responding to US President Donald Trump voicing “disappointment” over a lack of progress on Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday urged him to avoid "excessive expectations" and to resume talks on the issue.

"Concerning any disappointments coming from anyone, all disappointments arise from excessive expectations. This is a well-known general rule,” Putin told a press briefing in the city of Valaam.

He added that “approaching problem-solving peacefully requires thorough discussions, either publicly or quietly in the seclusion of negotiation processes,” signaling the need to return to talks.

Putin also reiterated Russia’s commitment to a peaceful resolution of the Ukrainian crisis, noting that Moscow had proposed establishing three working groups with Kyiv for this purpose.

Asked whether Ukraine had responded to Russia’s proposal for these groups, Putin confirmed that Kyiv’s initial reaction had been positive.

On the importance of continued dialogue, he stressed that talks are "always important and in demand."

"In principle, we can wait. If the Ukrainian leadership believes that now is not the right time and that waiting is necessary, please do so; we are ready to wait."

The Russian president also highlighted the outcomes of three rounds of talks with Ukraine held in Istanbul since May, saying that "many humanitarian problems were resolved thanks to that."

When asked if Russia's conditions for a long-term ceasefire are still valid, Putin confirmed that they remain unchanged.

"Actually, they're goals rather than conditions, as I defined Russia's objectives. Until recently, we heard that no one understood what Russia wanted. So, last June, during a meeting with representatives from the Foreign Ministry, we laid everything out clearly," he elaborated.

The primary objective, he stressed, is eliminating "the root causes that gave rise to this crisis," calling this "fundamental."

Putin also stressed the importance of addressing both humanitarian concerns and security issues for both Russia and Ukraine, recalling that during the Istanbul talks, a Ukrainian delegation member had suggested discussing their mutual security within the framework of pan-European security.

"One of the senior members of the Ukrainian team raised this suggestion. Overall, we agree with this perspective and consider it appropriate," he said.

In terms of humanitarian concerns, Putin emphasized the need to protect the Russian language, ensure independence, and provide dignified conditions for Ukraine's Orthodox Christian Church.

"All these elements combined should be discussed thoroughly and serve as the foundation for establishing lasting peace, without any temporal limitations whatsoever," he said.

On July 14, Trump said the US would impose import duties of up to 100% on Russia and its trading partners unless Moscow and Kyiv reach an agreement to resolve the Ukrainian crisis within 50 days.

This Monday, he announced that he had decided to reduce that deadline to just 10 days.

Deployment of Oreshnik missile in Belarus

Putin also announced that the first serial batch of the cutting-edge "Oreshnik" missile system was recently manufactured in Russia, and the missile is now in service with the troops.

"We have produced the first serial batch of the 'Oreshnik.' The first serial-production missile. And it has been delivered to the military," stated the Russian leader.

The issue of supplying the "Oreshnik" missile to Belarus will be resolved by the end of the year, with preparations for its placement underway, he noted.

"Our specialists -- both Belarusian military personnel and Russians -- have selected locations for future deployments. Now, work is underway to prepare these sites. Therefore, we are likely to close this issue by the end of the year," said Putin.

He pointed out that aside from producing the Oreshnik missile complex itself, other matters related to equipping and securing the site for its deployment must also be addressed.

"And we need to protect the location itself," Putin stressed. "So everything is going according to plan for us," he concluded.