Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has renewed his offer to meet Russia’s Vladimir Putin to negotiate an end to the war

KYIV — Ukrainian democracy is proving much stronger than most outsiders — including Russian President Vladimir Putin — believed. But as the full-scale invasion drags into its third year, the strain is starting to show — although Ukraine is still very far from being an authoritarian dictatorship like Russia.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday renewed his offer to meet with Russian leader Vladimir Putin and negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine, as delegations from both governments prepared to hold a third round of direct talks.

Talks between Ukraine and Russia will continue even if Russian President Vladimir Putin refuses to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, states Secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council (RNBO) and head of the Ukrainian delegation,

Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Vladimir Putin ( ) He continued: "If Russian forces get bogged down in this needless war, Putin may face serious challenges from the Russian brass and the Russian people.

For years, rumors have swirled about Vladimir Putin’s declining health, with speculation ranging from cancer to Parkinson’s disease. -While Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy boldly predicted Putin’s imminent death earlier this year,

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov couldn't answer whether Russian leader Vladimir Putin is ready to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Peskov was asked whether Russia is ready to discuss the possibility of Putin meeting with Zelenskyy if he lifts the ban on talks with Putin.