Putin says Russia open to cease-fire proposal but sets conditions

Russian President Vladimir Putin stated Thursday that Russia is receptive to American proposals for halting combat operations in Ukraine, while emphasising that any cease-fire arrangement must address underlying causes of the conflict and lead to a sustainable peace.

Putin expressed gratitude to U.S. President Donald Trump for his mediation efforts aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine war, indicating that Moscow would need further discussions with Washington regarding specific details of the proposal.

“We agree with the proposals to halt the fighting, but we proceed from the assumption that the cease-fire should lead to lasting peace and remove the root causes of the crisis,” Putin said.

The Russian leader pointed out that Ukrainian forces remain surrounded in their final position within Russia’s Kursk region. He stated that before implementing any cease-fire, it would be necessary to determine whether these encircled troops would surrender their weapons.

Putin also highlighted the need to develop monitoring mechanisms to address potential truce violations. He raised additional concerns about whether Ukraine might use a proposed 30-day cease-fire period to continue military mobilisation and rearmament efforts.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​