Putin says he is ready to discuss neutrality for Ukraine but presses on with campaign

President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that Russia was ready to discuss Ukraine's neutral status in talks aimed at ending hostilities there, but that Moscow would still achieve the goals of its military operation, which was "going to plan".

Putin said the West had effectively declared Russia in default as part of its sanctions over the conflict in Ukraine, and that the conflict had merely been a pretext for the West to impose sanctions.

"The West doesn't even bother to hide the fact that its aim is to damage the entire Russian economy, every Russian," he said.