Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to talk to US counterpart Donald Trump but is waiting for signals from Washington first, the Kremlin said on Friday, fuelling expectations the two would be in contact.

The Ukraine conflict has plunged relations between the two nuclear powers to their lowest levels since the Cold War, with Trump repeatedly promising to end the fighting with a "deal".

He told reporters on Thursday he would meet Putin "immediately", and that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wanted to negotiate.

"Putin is ready. We are waiting for signals," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said of Trump's overtures.

Peskov said that he could not comment further on a possible meeting between the leaders, saying it was "hard to read coffee grounds" to predict the future.

Trump has threatened Russia with tougher economic sanctions if it does not agree to end its nearly........

© International Business Times