Putin Is Willing To Meet With Ukraine's President.

Russia has said Vladimir Putin is open to a meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy amid the war in Ukraine.

A Kremlin spokesman said on Friday any meeting would have to be "for decision-making, not talks."

This is the 2nd time in the space of a day that Russia has talked up the prospect of a meeting with Ukraine's president following Putin's invasion of the country.

Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov had said Putin would not refuse a meeting with Zelenskyy to discuss "specific" issues.

Zelenskyy himself has previously called for direct negotiations. "Sit down with me to negotiate, just not at 30 meters," he said last week. This is a reference to Putin's long meeting tables - reportedly to avoid COVID infection.

It comes as the huge convoy of Russian armoured vehicles has reportedly dispersed to towns around the capital, Kyiv, with fears it could soon be encircled.

The Ministry of Defence said earlier on Friday that Russia will likely "re-posture" for a renewed offensive after its limited progress so far due to logistical issues and Ukrainian solid resistance.

Earlier this week, US intelligence leaders said that Putin might seek an exit from Ukraine if his war continues to stall. Still, that escalation of the conflict is likely to happen beforehand.

On Thursday, the United Nations said that at least 549 civilians have been killed following the invasion but that the actual death toll will be much higher. About 2.5 million people have been displaced from their homes.