RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin says he agrees with the idea of a US-backed 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine, but noted that the details of the accord need to be discussed and that any truce should lead to a long-lasting peace.
“We agree with the proposals to cease hostilities,” Putin told reporters at a news conference in the Kremlin on Thursday 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 said.
“The idea itself is correct, and we certainly support it. But there are issues that we need to discuss,” Putin said. “And I think we need to talk to our American colleagues as well,” he said.
Shortly after Putin’s remarks, US President Donald Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that Putin’s statement was “very promising” but it “wasn’t complete” and said he was willing to meet or talk with the Russian leader.
He said special US envoy Steve Witkoff was engaged in serious discussions with Russian officials in Moscow regarding the truce proposal.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticised Putin, saying his response was “very manipulative”.
“He is actually preparing a refusal as of now,” Zelenskyy said on Telegram, adding that the Russian president “is afraid to tell President Trump directly that he wants to continue this war, wants to kill Ukrainians.”
Putin’s comments on the US-backed plan were his first since Ukraine said it would accept the proposal following talks with US officials in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. Following the meeting, the US announced the resumption of military aid and intelligence sharing with Kyiv after a temporary halt.
While offering support for a ceasefire, Putin also listed a series of issues he said would need clarifying.
