The Russians are generally willing to negotiate because they view both war and negotiations as ultimately serving a political purpose. From Andrei at thesaker.is:
Negotiations: a primer for Zone A residents
Okay, I am going to ask you to make a real effort and, for a while at least, drop your certitudes and what you believe is a good or a bad way to prosecute a war. Instead, I am going to appeal to your common sense.
Long before the Russian Special Military Operation (SMO) in the Ukraine started, but following the Russian ultimatum, I indicated many times that what Russia would be doing is the following: ask for negotiations and if the other side rejects them, Russia would turn up the “pain dial”, slowly, step by step. If the other side agreed to negotiations, but then used them to stall and negotiate in bad faith, same response: Russia would turn up the pain dial. A little. Step by step.
And do WHAT exactly next???
What is the point of turning on the pain dial and remaining silent?
The purpose of the pain dial is to convince your enemy to agree to substantive talks. Conversely, that means that turning the pain dial WITHOUT offering talks simply makes no sense.
STRAIGHT LINE LOGIC 