Russia ready for ceasefire – Putin

Such an agreement “must lead to long-term peace,” the president has stressed

Russia is ready for a ceasefire in the Ukraine conflict, President Vladimir Putin has said, stressing that such an agreement “must lead to long-term peace.”

Moscow believes that the “idea” of a ceasefire is the “right one,” Putin told journalists during a joint press conference with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Moscow on Thursday. “We absolutely support it,” he added.

“We endorse the idea of resolving the conflict through peaceful means,” the president insisted.

Certain issues still need to be discussed and resolved before a truce can be reached, Putin stated, adding that Moscow particularly needs to discuss them with the US. The dialogue could also require a personal conversation with US President Donald Trump, the Russian leader said.

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Concerns listed by Putin included systems of “control and verification” to monitor the ceasefire regime, as well as Kiev’s potential attempts to use the pause in hostilities to rearm and reinforce its troops on the frontline.

“Are 30 days to be used to continue forced mobilization in Ukraine, to supply it with arms and to train the newly [formed] units?” the president stated. “Will there be any guarantees that nothing of that sort will happen?”

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The situation in Kursk Region, on the Russian border, could also be a major point of contention, according to the Russian president. Putin wondered if a ceasefire would mean that Russia would have to allow all Ukrainian troops that invaded the area in August 2024 to leave. “Should we just let them out after they committed numerous crimes against civilians? Or will Kiev order them to lay down arms?” he asked.

As of Wednesday evening, Moscow’s forces had liberated 86% of the territory occupied by the Ukrainians in August 2024, according to the head of the Russian General Staff, General Valery Gerasimov. The remainder of Kiev’s units in the area were largely “encircled” and “isolated,” he explained.

Washington and Kiev both endorsed a 30-day temporary truce following a meeting between the two nations’ delegations in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. US special envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to present the results of those talks during his visit to Moscow later today.

Russia has previously spoken out against any temporary truce in the Ukraine conflict, arguing that Kiev would use it to rearm and continue fighting. Putin has insisted that any resolution to the conflict must address the root causes in order to establish a long-lasting sustainable peace.