Russian President said that there were serious questions about the way a ceasefire would be worked out. He rejected the American version of an immediate 30-day ceasefire. He says, although he agrees to it in principle, there are a lot of things that are in question.
The leader of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky said that Putin was trying to manipulate the situation and said that there needed to be more sanctions.
At the same time the United States has slapped more sanctions on Russian banking, oil and gas sectors.
Talking to the media in Moscow on Thursday, Vladimir Putin said about the ceasefire idea
“The idea is right – and we support it – but there are questions that we need to discuss.”
A ceasefire should result in “an enduring peace and remove the root causes of this crisis”, Putin said.
“We need to negotiate with our American colleagues and partners,” he said. “Maybe I’ll have a call with Donald Trump.”
Putin went on to say: “It will be good for the Ukrainian side to achieve a 30-day ceasefire.
“We are in favour of it, but there are nuances.”
One bone of contention had been the Ukrainian thrust into Kursk.
“have been isolated”.
“They are trying to leave, but we are in control. Their equipment has been abandoned.”
“There are two options for Ukrainians in Kursk – surrender or die.”
Outlining some of his concerns over how a ceasefire would pan out, Putin asked: “How will those 30 days be used? For Ukraine to mobilise? Rearm? Train people? Or none of that? Then a question – how will that be controlled?”
“Who will give the order to end the fighting? At what cost? Who decides who has broken any possible ceasefire, over 2,000km? All those questions need meticulous work from both sides. Who polices it?”
Putin “doesn’t say no directly”, Zelensky was heard in a video address, but “in practice, he’s preparing a rejection”.
“Putin, of course, is afraid to tell President Trump directly that he wants to continue this war, wants to kill Ukrainians.”
The Russian leader’s way of doing things would mean “that nothing will work out at all,” Zelensky said.
After Putin’s statements and Zelensky’s counter, there is now a serious divide between both sides’ positions.
Ukraine is looking for a two-stage process: an instant ceasefire followed by talks about a longer-term settlement.
Russia says there should be peace in one go they fear that Ukraine will not live up to its side of the bargain and might rearm or do other things that are harmful.
Ukraine thinks it can paint Russia as being unwilling for peace. Also, Russia is talking from a position of power and is not likely to agree to anything without a broad settlement over things like NATO expansion.
Now, this puts Donald Trump in a bad spot. He had been pushing hard for this. The Russian leader does not appear to be bowing to Trump blindly.
Donald Trump said he woul love to meet Putin.
“We’d like to see a ceasefire from Russia,” he said.
“We’ve been discussing with Ukraine land and pieces of land that would be kept and lost, and all of the other elements of a final agreement,” Trump said.
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“A lot of the details of a final agreement have actually been discussed.”
On the subject of Ukraine joining the Nato military alliance, Trump said “everybody knows what the answer to that is”.
On Wednesday, Putin visited Sudzha in military attire and says that Russia has all but driven out the Ukrainian army from Russia.
Russia launched a massive invasion in February 2022, and now occupies about one
fifth of Ukrainian territory.
Both sides have suffered heavy losses and this war which has been going on for more than three years now has seen massive military casualties. However, exact and accurate figures continue to be hard to come by.
Follow Nouba News for more updates about the war.