Vladimir Putin said he agrees with the idea of a cessation of fire in Ukraine, but that there are « questions » about the nature of a truce, as he established various difficult conditions for peace.
Russian President responded A plan for cessation of 30 -day fireThat Ukraine accepted earlier this week after talks with the United States.
The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described Putin’s response to the plan as a « manipulator » and asked for more sanctions in Russia.
In the meantime, the United States made more sanctions in the Russian oil, gas and banking sectors.
Russian officials said that Putin was expected to hold conversations about the cessation of fire on Thursday evening with the special envoy of United States President Donald Trump, Steve Witkoff, who had flown to Moscow before that day.
It is unclear if this meeting really took place. On Friday, the state media of Russia cited the Aerial Traffic Monitor Flightradar as he said that the plane was believed that Witkoff had left Moscow.
Moscow and Washington have not commented on the subject.
On Thursday and during the night, both Russia and Ukraine denounced new attacks by Drone Enemies.
Ukraine said that seven people, including the children, were injured in the northern city -east of Kharkiv.
Russia denounced a great fire in an oil installation in the southern city of Tuapse.
Speaking at a press conference in Moscow on Thursday, Putin said about the fire cessation proposal: « The idea is correct, and we support it, but there are questions we need to discuss. »
A cessation of fire should lead to « a lasting peace and eliminate the roots of this crisis, » said Putin.
« We need to negotiate with our companions and American partners, » he said. « Maybe I will have a call with Donald Trump. »
Putin added: « It will be good for the Ukrainian side to get a fire of 30 days.
« We are in favor of this, but there are nuances. »
One of the containment areas is the Western Kursk region of Russia, said Putin, where Ukraine launched a military raid last August and captured some territory.
He stated that Russia was back in control of Kursk and said that Ukrainian troops « have been isolated. »
« They are trying to leave, but we are in control. Their team has been abandoned, » said Putin.
« There are two options for the Ukrainians in Kursk: surrendering or die. »
Ukraine’s highest commander, Oleksandr Syrskyi, said one day before Ukrainian troops would have defensive positions in the Kursk region « as appropriate and necessary » despite « increasing » the pressure of Russian forces.
At Thursday’s press conference, Putin also described some of his questions about how a cessation of fire would work. He asked: « How will these 30 days be used? For Ukraine’s mobilization? Rearm? Train people? Or nothing of this? Then a question: How will you control?
« Who will give the order to end the fighting? At what cost? Who decides who has broken the cessation of fire, more than 2,000 km? All these questions need a meticulous work of both parties. Who loose it? »
Putin « does not say directly, » Zelensky said in his night video address, but « in practice he is preparing a rejection. »
He added: « Putin, of course, is afraid to say -directly to President Trump who wants to continue this war, he wants to kill the Ukrainians. »
The Russian leader had set so many previous conditions « that nothing will work, » said Zelensky.
After Putin’s observations and Zelensky’s response, there is now a clear division between the positions of the two parties.
Ukraine wants a two -stage process: a quick cessation and then talks about a long -term agreement.
Russia believes that the two processes cannot be separated and all problems must be decided in one agreement. Both parts seem happy to discuss their differences.
Ukraine thinks he can put pressure on Russia, painting -as a reluctant pacifier, playing over time. Russia, in the same way, believes that she now has the opportunity to raise her fundamental concerns, about the expansion of NATO and Ukraine sovereignty.
But this has a problem for Donald Trump. He has made it clear that he wants a quick result, ending the fighting on days.
And right now, Putin does not seem to want to play ball.
Pictures of gettySpeaking in the White House after Putin’s statements, Trump said he would « love to » meet the Russian leader and hoped that Russia « would do the right » and accept the 30-day truce proposal.
« We would like to see a cessation of Russia’s fire, » he said.
Trump, speaking before in an Oval Office meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Trump told journalists that he had already discussed details with Ukraine.
« We have been discussing with Ukraine lands and pieces of land that would be maintained and lost, and all the other elements of a final agreement, » said Trump.
« Many of the details of a final agreement have actually discussed. »
As for Ukraine, who joins the NATO military alliance, Trump said « everyone knows what is the answer to this. »
New sanctions on oil and Russian gas occurred when the Trump administration restricted access to U.S. payment systems, which made it difficult to buy Russian oil.
At the beginning of the day, Kremlin Aide Yuri Ushakov rejected the CEASEFIRE PROPOSAL PROVIDED US.
On Wednesday, Kremlin posted a video he said he showed Putin to visit the Russian Kursk region, symbolically dressed in military fatigues. Russia said he collected the key city of Sudzha.
Russia launched a large -scale invasion in February 2022 and now controls about 20% of the Ukrainian territory.
More than 95,000 people fighting for the military of Russia They have been killed in the war, according to data analyzed so far and confirmed by the BBC. The real number of death is believed to be much higher.
The Russian military has not publicly revealed their battlefield victims since September 2022, when he said that 5,937 soldiers had been killed.
Ukraine last updated its victim figures in December 2024, when Zelensky recognized 43,000 Ukrainian deaths from soldiers and officers. Western analysts believe that this figure is despised.
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