Vladimir Putin has backed an American proposal for a ceasefire in Ukraine – but only on his terms.
Speaking at a press conference in Moscow alongside Belarusian dictator and close ally Alexander Lukashenko, Putin said Russia “agreed with the proposals to cease hostilities… The idea itself is correct, and we certainly support it.”
“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.”
The Russian President has long blamed “Nato expansionism” for his own invasion of Ukraine – but even as he spoke, his forces were pressing forward along the entire front-line into their next-door neighbour.
Vladimir Putin has backed an American proposal for a ceasefire in Ukraine – but only on his terms
REUTERS
Putin also vowed that any ceasefire would only be a success if Ukrainian troops didn’t use it as an opportunity to regroup and reorganise.
“How can we and how will we be guaranteed that nothing like this will happen? How will control be organised?” Putin said. “These are all serious questions.”
“There are issues that we need to discuss. And I think we need to talk to our American colleagues as well.”
He also said there were a number of “nuances” to a ceasefire – including in Kursk, a strip of land inside Russia currently under the heel of Ukrainian forces – where a truce would be “very good” for Ukraine.
“If we stop hostilities for 30 days, what does that mean? That everyone who is there will leave without a fight? Should we let them out of there after they have committed a lot of crimes against civilians? Or will the Ukrainian leadership give us the order to lay down our arms? It is not clear,” Putin said.
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Mere minutes after Putin’s conference, Trump and Nato chief Mark Rutte addressed reporters from the White House
REUTERS
Ukraine denies committing such crimes, and said it abides by humanitarian law.
In Moscow, Putin also hinted he might call Donald Trump to discuss the issue.
Then, mere minutes after Putin’s conference, Trump and Nato chief Mark Rutte also addressed reporters from the White House.
“Hopefully they’ll do the right thing,” Trump said in the Oval Office – and said he did not think Russia would attack US allies.
Ukraine has agreed with the US that Europe will definitely play a part in the peace process
PA
“It’s not going to happen. We’ll make sure it doesn’t happen,” he said.
US special envoy Steve Witkoff is in “serious discussions” with Russia about ending the war in Ukraine – and is due to meet with Putin tonight, according to Politico.
But Ukraine will not agree to a “frozen conflict with Russia”, according to Andriy Yermak, Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief of staff.
He added that Ukraine had agreed with the US that Europe – potentially led by Sir Keir Starmer’s “coalition of the willing” – will definitely play a part in the peace process.
