Putin hints Moscow and Washington in back-channel talks in revealing Tucker Carlson interview

Vladimir Putin appealed to the US to stop the fighting in Ukraine and push for peace, telling the American TV personality Tucker Carlson: "we have to look for a way out of this situation".

Speaking in his first interview with a Western media figure since invading Ukraine in February 2022, the Russian president appeared to signal for the first time that Washington and Moscow were involved in back-channel peace talks on the war.

"Certain contacts are being maintained," he said, but declined to go into further detail.

Mr Putin, 71, also accused Boris Johnson of sabotaging a peace deal with Ukraine in the spring of 2022.