Putin says Russia is not refusing negotiations over Ukraine conflict From CNN's Anna Chernova

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a press conference on September 4, in Sochi, Russia. Getty Images

In brief remarks on the conflict in Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin said Russia is not refusing to negotiate on how to end the war.

“I want to say that Russia has never refused negotiations and now we are not refusing," Putin said.

He added that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan raised questions about negotiations on the war during meetings between the two leaders on Monday.

“As we know, through the mediation of the President of Turkey, an agreement was reached, draft documents were agreed upon between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations, but then Ukraine sent them to... to the scrapheap! Nobody is coming back to this. We hear about some new initiatives, but this is not something that was ever discussed with us. Therefore, we do not accept anything new. As for mediation services, we have never refused them. We are also grateful to the President of Turkey for his efforts in this direction," Putin said.

The Russian president also said the Ukrainian counteroffensive had been a failure.

Ukrainian leaders have acknowledged the counteroffensive's slow progress, but in recent days, the Ukrainian military said it notched victories in the southeastern Zaporizhzhia region, penetrating the “first line” of Russian defenses.