Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that Moscow was in favor of the principle of a ceasefire in the war with Ukraine, as proposed by the US Donald Trump administration, but raised a question that said the Kremlin needed answers before committing to an armistice.
He said Russia needs to discuss these questions and the terms of the peace proposal with the United States.
His initial comments on the proposed ceasefire drew criticism from Ukraine and sparked a calm response from Trump. If Trump disagrees with a ceasefire, he expressed confidence in Putin’s commitment to a peace deal, and vibrated between threatening Russia with new sanctions.
What Putin said shows the conditions he laid out by Moscow to support the ceasefire and how the US and Ukraine responded to his recent statement.
What is the US-UKRAINE ceasefire contract?
On Tuesday, the team representing Washington and Kiev met in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, negotiated terms of peace in Ukraine.
After the meeting, the two countries issued a joint statement, proposing an “immediate, interim” 30-day ceasefire on the front.
The statement focused on “swapping prisoners, releasing civil detainees, and forcibly returning Ukrainian children” during the ceasefire period.
The document did not mention sanctions on Russia or Ukraine’s security guarantees, but said that Ukraine’s European allies would “be involved in the peace process.”
The document also did not specify what would happen in the Ukrainian soldiers of Kursk, Russia.
What did Putin say about the ceasefire?
There was nothing for almost two days.
Then, on Thursday, at a press conference alongside Belarus’ President Alexander Lukashenko, Putin responded to the ceasefire proposal.
He said the idea of a ceasefire was “right” and that Russia supported it in principle. “We agree with the proposal to stop hostilities,” he told reporters in Moscow.
However, he added: “I think there’s an issue that we need to discuss and we need to talk about it with our American colleagues and partners.
What “problems” does Putin want to resolve before the ceasefire?
The Russian president outlined three questions and proposed that solving them in a satisfactory way for Moscow is a prerequisite for the Kremlin to accept a ceasefire.
How does Kursk intrusion unfold?
The first question put forward by Putin involves the Ukrainian military in the Russian region of Kursk.
Last August, Ukrainian forces began a surprising invasion of Kursk and seized the territory.
The Russian army is currently reclaiming 1,100 square km (425 square miles) of Kursk, but Kiev’s troops still exist almost throughout the area captured by the Ukrainian forces.
“Are everyone there coming out without a fight? Or will the Ukrainian leader order them to put their weapons down and surrender?” Putin asked.
Will Ukraine mobilize its troops during a ceasefire and receive new weapons?
Putin also suggested that a 30-day ceasefire could be used to mobilize new troops when troops are facing set-offs, not just Kursk, but also in eastern Ukraine, where Russia has slowly shattered in recent months.
During a press conference, President Putin said, “The Russian army is moving forward in almost every region in front of us… And how will these 30 days be used? To train new and enthusiastic units so that weapons can be delivered there to continue in Ukraine? …How can we ensure that such a thing not happen? How will control be organized?”
Putin’s foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov said Thursday that a 30-day suspension in the battle would only reorganize the Ukrainian army, and that the ceasefire would only be considered a “temporary rest” for the Ukrainian army.
Over the past few months, Ukraine has been struggling with a talent shortage. In January, Ukrainian troops retreated from Krahoob, a town in the Donetsk region of Ukraine, when Russian forces claimed control.
Who will confirm the ceasefire?
Putin also questioned how the ceasefire will be monitored and who will ensure that the parties are following the agreement.
“We are moving from the fact that this suspension should be something that will lead to long-term peace and eliminate the original cause of this crisis,” he said.
“Who issuing an order to stop hostilities? …Who decides where and who violates the ceasefire agreement that could be 2,000 kilometers (1,243 miles)?”
How did the US respond?
Putin’s comments came shortly after President Donald Trump’s special envoy group, Steve Witkov, arrived in Russia to meet with Putin and other Russian officials. Witkov is officially a Middle Eastern envoy of Trump, but he is also involved in Russian relations.
Last month he became the first high-level US official to travel to Russia since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. During this visit, he secured the release of imprisoned American Mark Vogel in exchange for the United States to release imprisoned Russian Alexander Vinnik. Witkov was also part of the US team during negotiations with Russian authorities in Saudi Arabia.
On Thursday, at the start of a meeting with NATO executive director Mark Latte, Trump said Putin “issued a very promising statement, but it wasn’t perfect.”
“Now we’re going to see if Russia is there or not, it would be a very unfortunate moment for the world.”
Also on Thursday, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bescent told CNBC that Trump “is willing to put maximum pressure on both sides,” including sanctions against Russia.
Since the start of the war in February 2022, the US and its allies have imposed at least 21,692 sanctions on Russia, including individuals, media organizations, military sectors, aviation sectors, aviation, shipbuilding and communications.
Last week, the United States temporarily suspended military aid and information sharing to Ukraine after the White House between President Trump and Ukrainian President Voldy Mee Zelensky got caught up in denunciation.
Aid and information sharing have recovered after the US and Ukraine jointly agreed to a 30-day ceasefire agreement in Jeddah.
How did Ukraine respond?
Zelenskyy said at the nightly address posted on X on Thursday that Putin was “prepared to reject” the ceasefire proposal.
“President Putin is afraid to tell President Trump directly that he wants to continue this war and continue killing Ukrainians,” Zelensky said.
Marina Milon, a postdoctoral researcher at King’s College London’s Defense Research Bureau, said it makes sense for Russia to stagnate on decisions about ceasefires.
“The ceasefire will be implemented and everyone is on the same page, and until time passes, they will probably give the Russians the time they need to get Kursk back, and remove the potential negotiation bonuses in Ukraine,” Miron told Al Jazeera on Wednesday.
In his speech, Zelenskyy added: [Putin]. Sanctions must be applied – what works. “The Ukrainian leader said his country is willing to continue working with its US and European partners to promote the peace process.
Can the US and Ukraine accept Russia’s terms of peace?
That’s unknown. However, some experts believe Trump’s track record suggests that the US can try to address Putin’s concerns. If that happens, Ukraine may have no choice but to accept this.
“If past performances are guides, [Russia’s] Kiel Giles, a senior consulting fellow at the London-based Chatham House think tank, told Al Jazeera on Wednesday.
“I think the Trump administration has made it very clear to Ukraine that Ukraine will not determine rules after the elliptical office blunder,” added Milon.
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