Russian President Vladimir Putin has stated that Russia agrees with U.S. proposals for a ceasefire but insists that any cessation of hostilities must lead to lasting peace and address the root causes of the conflict, reports RTE.
“We agree with the proposals to cease hostilities,” Putin said at a Kremlin news conference following talks with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.
“But we proceed from the fact that this cessation should be such that it would lead to long-term peace and would eliminate the original causes of this crisis,” he added, reports RTE.
However, Putin acknowledged that “serious questions” remain regarding how the ceasefire would function.
Since mid-2024, Russian forces have been advancing, now controlling nearly a fifth of Ukraine’s territory—three years after launching the invasion. Former U.S. President Donald Trump has pledged to end the war if re-elected, reports RTE.
Putin thanked Trump for his efforts, saying, “The idea itself is correct, and we certainly support it. But there are issues that we need to discuss. And I think we need to talk to our American colleagues as well.”
Putin also indicated that he might call Trump to discuss the matter directly.
Donald Trump responded to Putin’s comments, calling them “very promising,” but noted that the proposal was not yet complete, reports RTE.
Meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the White House, Trump reiterated his desire to conclude a ceasefire deal quickly.
“I’d love to meet with him or talk to him. But we have to get it (a ceasefire deal) over with fast,” Trump said, reports RTE.
His special envoy, Steve Witkoff, has already arrived in Moscow for discussions. Trump warned that failure to secure a peace deal would be a “very disappointing moment for the world.”
“A lot of the details of a final agreement have actually been discussed. Now we’re going to see if Russia is there and, if not, it will be a very disappointing moment for the world,” he said, reports RTE.
Trump also mentioned ongoing discussions about territorial concessions, stating, “We’ve been discussing with Ukraine land and pieces of land that would be kept and lost.”
He referenced a “very big power plant” involved in negotiations but did not specify further. The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, currently under Russian control, is the largest in Europe and is located on the front lines, reports RTE.
Negotiations, Trump added, were complex because they were “creating the edge of a country.”
Russian officials have confirmed that U.S. National Security Adviser Mike Waltz provided details of the ceasefire plan and that Moscow is open to discussions.
Yuri Ushakov, a senior Kremlin official and former ambassador to Washington, stated that he had conveyed Russia’s position to Waltz, describing the proposal as a potential “temporary respite for the Ukrainian military, nothing more,” reports RTE.
“It gives us nothing. It only gives the Ukrainians an opportunity to regroup, gain strength, and to continue the same thing,” Ushakov said, adding that the proposal would need adjustments to align with Russia’s interests, reports RTE.
Despite this skepticism, Ushakov stopped short of rejecting the proposal outright, indicating that Putin would elaborate further in an upcoming statement.
“Our goal is a long-term peaceful settlement that takes into account the legitimate interests of our country and our well-known concerns,” he said, reports RTE.
He suggested that European leaders were attempting to portray Russia as unwilling to engage in peace efforts, despite Moscow’s stated commitment to negotiations.
Shortly after Trump’s comments, the Kremlin released footage of Putin visiting Russian military forces in the Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces are losing their remaining foothold following a major Russian offensive.
In a rare move, Putin appeared in green camouflage military attire, a departure from his usual civilian dress. The Kremlin stated that Russia’s supreme commander felt it necessary to wear military fatigues, reports RTE.
Meanwhile, the U.S. has agreed to resume weapons supplies and intelligence sharing with Ukraine following recent talks in Saudi Arabia, where Kyiv expressed willingness to support a ceasefire proposal.
Despite the extensive Western military support, Russian forces continue to advance, pushing Ukrainian troops out of the western Russian region of Kursk, reports RTE.
Beyond the immediate ceasefire, Russia has reportedly presented the U.S. with a list of demands for a broader peace agreement, including terms for resetting relations with Washington.
When asked about a Reuters report on this, Ushakov confirmed that Washington was aware of Russia’s position, reports RTE.
In an attempt to divert Russian forces and gain leverage, Ukraine launched an incursion into Kursk last August—the largest attack on Russian soil since the Nazi invasion of 1941.
However, Ukraine’s territorial gains in the region have since shrunk to under 200 square kilometers, down from 1,300 square kilometers at the peak of last summer’s offensive, according to Russian military reports, reports RTE.
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