Mixed reactions emerge from the US and Ukraine after Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that Russia is “in favor” of the 30-day ceasefire plan proposed by the US and Ukraine, but nuances exist.
Speaking at a press conference alongside Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Putin remarked, “We agree with the proposals to stop hostilities, but we proceed from the fact that this cessation should be one that would lead to long-term peace and eliminate the original causes of this crisis,” according to the Xinhua News Agency.
Putin highlighted that the difficulty in monitoring ceasefire violations along the 2,000 km contact line of the conflict and raised the issue that Ukraine might use the temporary ceasefire for mobilization and weapons supplies, according to the report.
Putin also indicated that he might call Trump to discuss the issue, adding that Russia will negotiate the next steps to end the conflict and reach acceptable agreements based on the situation “on the ground,” according to Xinhua.
The ceasefire proposal gained traction earlier this week when Ukraine, following talks with a US delegation in Jeddah, expressed support for an “immediate, interim 30-day ceasefire,” according to a joint statement released on Tuesday.
Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff landed in Moscow for talks and presenting the ceasefire plan on Thursday. Meanwhile, the US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz told Fox News that the US administration is discussing various options with Russia and Ukraine to resolve the conflict.
Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff, who landed in Moscow for talks and presenting the ceasefire plan on Thursday, told Fox News that the US administration is discussing various options with Russia and Ukraine to resolve the conflict.
In response to Putin’s statement, President Donald Trump said that there have been “good signals” coming out of Russia. Speaking at the White House alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Trump said, “Putin put out a very promising statement, but it wasn’t complete,” the Associated Press (AP) reported.
“Now we’ll see if Russia follows through. If they don’t, it’ll be a deeply disappointing moment for the world.” Trump reiterated, stressing the urgency of ending the conflict, according to AP.
However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky struck a “pessimistic tone” in his evening address to Ukrainians on Thursday, the New York Times said.
Zelensky said Putin’s response to the cease-fire proposal was “very predictable.” He added that Putin has set so many preconditions “that nothing will work out at all, or that it will not work out for as long as possible,” according to the media report.
Earlier on Thursday, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov told media that the ceasefire plan proposed by the United States and Ukraine is a “temporary respite” for Ukraine’s military, according to Xinhua. Ushakov said in a TV interview that Moscow is striving for a “long-term” peaceful settlement that takes into account Russia’s legitimate interests.
UN Secretary-General’s Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said on Thursday that the UN will welcome any potential ceasefire in Ukraine, hoping that it will be concluded and lead to a lasting peace, according to Tass.
“We would, of course, welcome a ceasefire in Ukraine, given the tremendous amount of suffering that we have seen in that conflict. We very much hope that it will materialize. It’ll pave the way for a just peace and a just and sustainable peace,” he said.
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