Russia on Friday responded to US President Donald Trump's remarks, where he said that the war in Ukraine could be ended by reducing the oil prices, by saying that the conflict is about national security and not oil prices. 

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Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the Russia-Ukraine war was triggered by the West's refusal to consider Russian security interests. 

“The conflict doesn't depend on oil prices,” Peskov said in a conference call with reporters. 

Also read: Trump ready to meet Russia's Putin 'immediately' to help end Russia-Ukraine war

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He added, "The conflict is ongoing because of the threat to Russia’s national security, the threat to Russians living on those territories, and the refusal by the Americans and the Europeans to listen to Russia’s security concerns. It’s not linked to oil prices.”

Trump, while addressing the World Economic Forum on Thursday, claimed that a drop in the oil prices would end Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. 

The US president said he would ask the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to lower the price of oil, saying it would end Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine “immediately”. 

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Also read: Trump says Putin 'destroying Russia' by not signing a deal to end Ukraine war

“Right now the price is high enough that that war will continue, you gotta bring down the oil price and end the war,” he added. 

Putin ready for talks

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that he is ready to hold talks with Trump on the Ukraine conflict.

"As for the issue of negotiations...we have always said, and I want to emphasise this once again, that we are ready for these negotiations on Ukrainian issues," Putin told a reporter from Russian state TV.

Meanwhile, Peskov on Friday also highlighted that Putin was ready to talk to Trump but was waiting for the 'signal' from Washington. 

When asked about Trump's claims that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is ready for a peace deal, Peskov reiterated the Ukrainian leader's earlier decision to rule out any talks with Russia. 

Also read: Russia accuses Ukraine of civilian killings in village seized by Kyiv's army

“Zelenskyy can’t be ready for a deal,” Peskov told reporters, adding that “in order to reach a settlement, it’s necessary to conduct talks, and Zelenskyy forbade himself to hold talks by his own decree.”

'No angel' 

Trump, in an interview segment with Fox News released on January 23, said that both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky share the blame for the Ukraine-Russia war. 

Trump further criticised Zelensky for resisting Russia at the beginning of the invasion instead of cutting a deal.

Also read: Explosions heard over Ukraine's presidential palace amid British PM Starmer's visit

"Zelensky... shouldn’t have allowed this to happen either. He’s no angel," Trump said.

"I could have made that deal so easily, and Zelensky decided that 'I want to fight," he said, adding that Ukraine has been fighting against a "much bigger entity."

He further said that Zelensky has "had enough" and is ready for peace.

"We started pouring equipment... and they (Ukraine) had the bravery to use the equipment, but in the end, it’s a war that has to be settled," Trump said.

(With inputs from agencies)