Russian President Vladimir Putin said he agrees in principle with a US proposal for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine but emphasized the need for further discussions and guarantees. The proposal aims to halt fighting between Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed separatists.
Putin stated that while the idea of a ceasefire is correct, there are issues to be discussed with American colleagues and partners. He also expressed concerns about the potential use of truces by Ukraine to regroup and rearm.
The US has been pushing for a ceasefire in an effort to bring an end to the war, which began over three years ago. The US president, Donald Trump, said that good signals are coming from Russia and offered guarded optimism about Putin’s statement.
Trump reiterated his willingness to speak with Putin and emphasized the need to end the conflict. However, he noted that it is up to Russia now to accept the ceasefire proposal.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized Russia for its slow response to the ceasefire proposal, accusing Moscow of trying to delay any peace deal. The US still has approximately $3.85 billion in congressionally authorized funding for future arms shipments to Ukraine but has not used it so far.
The situation remains complicated as Ukraine’s military foothold in Russia is under intense pressure from Russian forces and North Korean troops. A ceasefire could present the Kremlin with a dilemma, whether to accept the truce or risk derailing any cautious rapprochement with Washington.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-kursk-sudzhba-military-occupation-17cebbc24642ab56d78112eba7eb7509