Russian President Vladimir Putin has indicated that Russia supports a US proposal for a ceasefire in Ukraine in principle. However, he has requested several clarifications and conditions that seem to impede a swift resolution to the ongoing conflict.
The invasion of Ukraine by Russia, which began in February 2022, has resulted in hundreds of thousands of casualties, displaced millions, destroyed towns, and triggered the most significant confrontation between Russia and the West in decades.
Mr. Putin’s cautiously measured support for the US ceasefire proposal appears to be aimed at demonstrating goodwill towards the United States and opening the possibility of further discussions with US President Donald Trump.
Nevertheless, Mr. Putin emphasized that many important details must be clarified and that any agreement must address the fundamental causes of the conflict.
A man stands in front of the remnants of a residential building devastated by a Russian bomb attack in Kostiantynivka on 13 March.
“We believe that this cessation should lead to a lasting peace and address the underlying issues of this crisis,” he stated.
He proceeded to outline several matters that required clarification and expressed gratitude to Mr. Trump, who has stated he wants to be remembered as a peacemaker, for his initiatives to resolve the war.
Both Russia and the US now portray the conflict as a lethal proxy war that could have escalated into World War III.
Mr. Trump, who expressed his willingness to converse with the Russian leader by phone, described Mr. Putin’s statement as “very promising” and voiced hope that Russia would “do the right thing.”
Mr. Trump mentioned that Steve Witkoff, his special envoy, was engaged in serious discussions with Russian officials in Moscow regarding the US proposal, to which Ukraine has already consented.
Read more: Zelensky slams Putin’s ‘very manipulative’ statements on ceasefire
The US president remarked that these discussions would reveal if Russia was ready to finalize an agreement.
“Now we will see if Russia is prepared, and if they are not, it will be a deeply disappointing moment for the world,” he stated.
Territorial questions
Any delays would provide Russia additional time to push the remaining Ukrainian forces out of western Russia, as Moscow insists on demands that Ukraine permanently cede territories claimed by Russia, a stance that Ukraine firmly opposes.
Ukraine and its allies characterize Russia’s 2022 invasion as an imperial-style land grab, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky persistently vowing to defeat Russian forces.
Currently, Russian forces occupy nearly one-fifth of Ukraine’s territory and have been advancing since mid-2024.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has vowed to defeat Russian forces.
Mr. Trump indicated that his administration has been deliberating over which lands Ukraine would retain or lose in any agreement, along with the future of a significant power plant.
While he did not specify, he was most likely referring to the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia facility in Ukraine, the largest nuclear plant in Europe. Both sides have accused one another of jeopardizing safety at the plant through their actions.
Mr. Putin frames the conflict as part of an existential struggle against a declining and decadent West, which he claims has humiliated Russia since the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 by expanding the NATO military alliance and encroaching on what he considers Russia’s sphere of influence, including Ukraine.
Mr. Putin remarked that Russian forces were advancing along the entire frontline and that any ceasefire must guarantee that Ukraine would not use the opportunity to regroup.
“How can we guarantee that such a thing will not happen? How will control (of the ceasefire) be organized?” Mr. Putin questioned. “These are all serious concerns.”
Mr. Putin mentioned that he might reach out to Mr. Trump to discuss the matter.
The United States agreed on Tuesday to resume arms supplies and intelligence sharing with Ukraine after Ukraine expressed its readiness to support a ceasefire proposal during talks in Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi state news agency reported that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke with Mr. Putin by phone, reiterating the kingdom’s commitment to backing a political resolution in Ukraine.
In recent days, Russia has conducted a rapid offensive in the western Russian region of Kursk against Ukrainian forces, who crossed the border in August in an attempt to redirect Russia’s military focus from eastern Ukraine, gain leverage, and embarrass Mr. Putin.
The Russian leader questioned how a ceasefire would affect the situation in Kursk, where he donned a camouflage uniform to visit a command post on Wednesday.
“If we halt hostilities for 30 days, what does that mean? That everyone there will withdraw without a fight?” he asked.
Ukraine currently holds less than 200 sq. km in Kursk, down from 1,300 sq. km at the peak of the incursion, according to the Russian military.
