KYIV, Ukraine 

Ukraine, Russia are continuing consultations regarding the place and time of negotiations, a spokesman for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said late Friday.

Sergiy Nikiforov said on Facebook that his country is always ready for a cease-fire, peace and negotiations and denied an earlier Kremlin statement that Ukraine rejected Russia's offer to negotiate.

Ukraine “accepted” the offer of Russian President Vladimir Putin, said Nikiforov, who added the two parties continue to consult on the place and time of the negotiation process.
Earlier Friday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Ukraine rejected its offer to negotiate.
Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a news conference in Moscow that Ukraine refused to start negotiations in Minsk but Kyiv offered to discuss the issue Saturday.

Earlier, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia is ready to send a delegation to Minsk for talks.

Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine entered its second day Friday with the latest reports indicating that Russian troops were heading toward the capital, Kyiv, from several directions.

Putin ordered the military intervention Thursday, days after recognizing two separatist-held enclaves in eastern Ukraine.

He claimed that Moscow had no plan to occupy the neighboring country but wanted to “demilitarize” and “denazify” Ukraine.

Zelenskyy accused Russia of trying to install a puppet government and said Ukrainians will defend their country against Russian aggression.