Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed support for a ceasefire in Ukraine, aligning with proposals put forth by the United States. This comes after Ukraine agreed to the terms of a 30-day ceasefire earlier this week following discussions with a US delegation in Saudi Arabia.
Speaking at a Kremlin press conference, Putin stated, “We agree with the proposals to cease hostilities. The idea itself is correct, and we certainly support it.”
However, he emphasised that several issues need to be addressed before any agreement can be finalised. “There are issues that we need to discuss. And I think we need to talk to our American colleagues as well,” Putin added.
The ABC reports that US envoy Steve Witkoff plans to meet the Russian president in the next few hours and Putin indicated that he may also call US President Donald Trump to discuss the ceasefire.
The conflict, which began in early 2022, has resulted in devastating consequences, including hundreds of thousands of casualties, widespread displacement, and significant destruction across Ukraine. It has also led to a sharp escalation in tensions between Russia and the West.
Putin’s endorsement of the ceasefire proposal is seen as a step towards potential peace talks, though he made it clear that any agreement must lead to long-term peace and address the underlying causes of the conflict. “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 noted.
Trump has welcomed Putin’s statement as “very promising”, while acknowledging that the deal is not yet complete. Trump expressed hope that Moscow would “do the right thing” and finalise the agreement, per SBS.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed skepticism about Russia’s intentions, suggesting that Moscow is seeking to prolong the conflict by imposing conditions on the ceasefire.
“That’s why in Moscow they are imposing upon the idea of a ceasefire these conditions, so that nothing happens at all, or so that it cannot happen for as long as possible,” Zelenskyy said in a video on X.
“We are not setting conditions that complicate the process — Russia is. As we have always said, the only one stalling, the only one being unconstructive, is Russia. They need this war. Putin has stolen years of peace and continues this war day after day,” he wrote on the post.
Zelenskyy hopes that US pressure will encourage Russia to end the war.
Lead image: AP News / Getty
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