LONDON — In his first public remarks on the proposed 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin stated Russia is “for it” however that he needs his personal safety ensures.
Putin raised questions concerning a 30-day ceasefire throughout a press briefing in Moscow on Thursday, as President Donald Trump’s Center East envoy Steve Witkoff landed within the metropolis to debate the proposal.
“It appears to me, it could be superb for the Ukrainian aspect to succeed in a truce for no less than 30 days. And we’re for it. However there’s a nuance,” Putin stated, highlighting issues concerning Russia’s Kursk area, the place Ukrainian forces pushed into final 12 months in a shock offensive however in latest weeks have seen Russian forces retake significant ground.
“If we cease the hostilities for 30 days, what does it imply? Does it imply that everybody who’s there’ll go away and not using a battle?” Putin stated. “Or the Ukrainian management will give them an order to put down their arms and simply give up? How will or not it’s? It isn’t clear.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks throughout a joint information convention with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko following their talks on the Grand Kremlin Palace in Moscow, Russia, March 13, 2025.
Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP
Putin stated he additionally needs ensures that in a 30-day ceasefire, Ukraine won’t regroup, and he puzzled who would decide if there have been any violations of a ceasefire.
“These are all points that require cautious investigation from either side,” he stated.
Putin advised Russia ought to discuss with Trump to debate his issues, whereas including, “However the thought itself is to finish this battle with peaceable means. We help it.”
On the prime of his remarks, the president thanked Trump “for his consideration to Ukraine’s settlement.”
“We consider that this ceasefire ought to result in a long-term peace and get rid of the preliminary causes of this disaster,” Putin stated.
Trump’s Center East envoy landed in Moscow on Thursday morning for discussions on the proposed 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine — a step leaders in Kyiv and Washington, D.C., hope will facilitate a bigger peace deal to finish Russia’s three-year-old invasion of its neighbor.
Witkoff’s journey is “a part of our continued efforts to press Russia to conform to a ceasefire and cease its brutal warfare towards Ukraine,” White Home press secretary Karoline Leavitt instructed reporters at a Wednesday briefing.
U.S. particular envoy Steve Witkoff speaks with reporters on the White Home, Thursday, March 6, 2025, in Washington.
Alex Brandon/AP
Witkoff will meet with Putin on Thursday evening in a closed format, in accordance with Russian international coverage aide Yuri Ushakov.
Putin won’t converse with Trump on Thursday, in accordance with Ushakov.
Trump described Thursday’s discussions between the U.S. and Russian officers as “very critical” throughout remarks from the Oval Workplace.
“Issues are going OK in Russia,” he stated, including that it “doesn’t suggest something till we hear what the ultimate final result is.”
“Hopefully they may do the proper factor,” he stated of Russia, saying he wish to see Moscow settle for the 30-day ceasefire.
The ceasefire proposal is “section one” of the peace course of, Trump stated, noting that discussions on a last settlement have touched on who will get sure items of land and a “very large energy plant.”
U.S. and Ukrainian officers agreed to a complete 30-day ceasefire throughout talks in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, earlier this week. The ball is now “actually of their court docket,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated of Russia following the talks in Jeddah.
Yehor Cherniev, a member of the Ukrainian Parliament representing President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s get together, stated Russia is making an attempt to “waste time.”
“They can not say sure they usually can not say no. That is why they may attempt to discover some explanation why they can’t say sure,” Cherniev instructed ABC Information as Putin delivered his remarks Thursday. “And truly, I believe they may even placed on the desk some circumstances for this ceasefire which will probably be unacceptable for us. And that will probably be their reply — to place accountability for the ceasefire on our aspect.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks throughout a briefing in Kyiv, Ukraine, Mar. 12, 2025.
Efrem Lukatsky/AP
Zelenskyy stated Ukraine is prepared for peace whereas Russia seeks to “postpone peace.”
“Regrettably, for greater than a day already, the world has but to listen to a significant response from Russia to the proposals made,” he said on X on Thursday forward of Putin’s remarks. “This as soon as once more demonstrates that Russia seeks to delay the warfare and postpone peace for so long as potential. We hope that U.S. strain will probably be ample to compel Russia to finish the warfare.”
The Kremlin had up to now been noncommittal on the U.S.-Ukrainian proposal. Officers had been “scrutinizing” the publicly launched statements, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated on Wednesday. Russia, he added, “does not need to get forward of itself” on the potential ceasefire.
Ushakov — who took half in final month’s assembly with U.S. negotiators in Saudi Arabia — described the proposed ceasefire as “a hasty doc.”
“It must be labored on, and our place also needs to be thought-about and brought under consideration,” he instructed journalists. “For now, solely the Ukrainian method is printed there,” Ushakov added, suggesting the 30-day pause in combating could be a possibility for Ukrainian forces to regroup.
“We consider that our objective is a long-term peaceable settlement, we’re striving for it, a peaceable settlement that takes under consideration the official pursuits of our nation, our recognized issues,” Ushakov stated. “Some steps that imitate peaceable actions, it appears to me, nobody wants on this state of affairs.”
Ushakov stated he outlined Russia’s place to nationwide safety adviser Mike Waltz. “I actually have not too long ago been in pretty common phone contact with Mike Waltz,” he stated. “Yesterday he referred to as me and knowledgeable me about the primary outcomes of the talks with the Ukrainian delegation in Jeddah.”
ABC Information’ Tanya Stukalova, Joe Simonetti and Will Gretsky contributed to this report.
