Russian President Vladimir Putin has praised the "balanced" Ukraine peace drive led by China, Brazil and South Africa, describing it "a genuine attempt to find a solution".

"We view this as a balanced attempt without imposing anything on either Ukraine or Russia," Putin said, according to state-owned news agency Tass.

The three countries formally established a "Friends for Peace" group in September along with other developing nations at the United Nations headquarters in New York.

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Its stated aims are to unite the Global South in promoting peace, calling for a ceasefire and advocating for the resumption of peace talks.

Speaking at his annual press conference, Putin contrasted these "neutral" nations with the West, which he accused of waging "a proxy war" in Ukraine.

The Friends for Peace platform emphasises the need for a balanced, impartial approach, without taking sides or replacing existing diplomatic frameworks. A communique on forming the platform called for a "comprehensive and lasting settlement" through "inclusive diplomacy and political means".

Earlier this month, Chinese President Xi Jinping met former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev, now deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, in Beijing, who also praised the group's proposals.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has previously said he is open to the peace efforts led by China, Brazil and South Africa, but he rejected a previous six-point plan drafted by Brazil and China as "destructive".

Chinese President Xi JInping welcomes the former Russian head of state Dimitry Medvedev to Beijing earlier this month. 

That plan, released in May, urged Russia and Ukraine not to expand the battlefield or escalate fighting and not provoke the other side. It also called for resumption of direct dialogue and a push for de-escalation until a ceasefire is agreed.

China has sought to present itself as a neutral party since the Russian invasion in February 2022 and has repeatedly denied providing support for Putin's war effort. However, it remains a close political and economic partner of Russia, with some Nato members accusing it of being an "enabler" of the war.

The Ukraine war has been discussed at various international forums, including the Brics summit in Russia, which was attended by the three "Friends for Peace", but details of the discussion have not been made public.

In June last year, Brazil put forward its own version of the plan, which suggested that Ukraine should cede Crimea.

Putin's annual press conference is as much a spectacle as a news event. Ahead of the event, over 2 million questions were submitted by the public, according to Russian state media.

On Thursday, Putin said he had agreed to ceasefire proposals from Hungary and Turkey, blaming Volodymyr Zelensky for stepping back from those agreements.

He added Russia was willing to negotiate without preconditions, but it must be based on the proposals in the Istanbul Communique issued following multiple rounds of talks in the weeks after the invasion began in February 2022.

It was proposed that Ukraine abandon its Nato ambitions in return for guarantees of support from the West, but the talks eventually collapsed.

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