Putin backs Ukraine ceasefire in principle calls for talks

RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin said Thursday he agrees in principle with a U.S. proposal for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine but emphasized that the terms must be negotiated to ensure lasting peace.

“The idea itself is correct, and we certainly support it,” Putin told a news conference in Moscow. “But there are issues that we need to discuss, and I think that we need to talk about it with our American colleagues and partners and, perhaps, have a call with President Trump and discuss it with him.”

President Donald Trump said there were “good signals” from Russia but noted that Putin’s statement lacked specifics.

“Now we’re going to see whether or not Russia’s there. And if they’re not, it’ll be a very disappointing moment for the world,” Trump said at a White House meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was skeptical, saying Putin is “essentially preparing to reject” the ceasefire. The Russian president, he added, “often acts this way. He doesn’t say ‘no’ outright but ensures that everything drags on and that normal solutions become impossible,” Zelenskyy said in his nightly address.

Putin, who launched the full-scale invasion over three years ago, emphasized that Russia would require guarantees that Ukraine would not use the truce to rearm.

“We agree with the proposals to halt the fighting, but we proceed from the assumption that the ceasefire should lead to lasting peace and remove the root causes of the crisis,” Putin said.

Ceasefire terms

Putin suggested Ukraine only accepted the truce due to its battlefield position, particularly in the Kursk region, where Russian forces claim to have driven out Ukrainian troops.

Putin said it appeared that the U.S. persuaded Ukraine to accept a ceasefire and that Ukraine is interested because of the battlefield situation, particularly in Kursk.

Referring to the Ukrainian troops in Kursk, he questioned what will happen to them if the ceasefire takes hold: “Will all those who are there come out without a fight? Or will the Ukrainian leadership order them to lay down arms and surrender?”

Putin thanked Trump for his efforts to mediate and acknowledged the involvement of China, India, Brazil, and South Africa. However, Russia has rejected NATO peacekeepers monitoring any truce./ AP