Putin: Russia striving to complete Ukraine conflict

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Russia was striving to complete the conflict in Ukraine, Russian news agencies reported.

Putin added that Russia could use the new intermediate-range hypersonic ballistic missile known as Oreshnik again but was in no hurry to do so.

"We do not exclude the possibility of using it both today and tomorrow, if necessary," Putin said.

If necessary, Putin said, Russia could use more powerful intermediate-range weapons.

Putin says Slovakia offered to host Russia-Ukraine peace talks

Putin said Thursday that Slovakia had offered to be a "platform" for possible peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, nearly three years since the launch of Moscow's offensive.

Putin told a press conference that Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico "said that if there are any negotiations, they would be happy to provide the country as a platform", and added that Russia was "not against it".