Russia Open to Ceasefire Talks, But Some Issues Need to be Discussed, Says Putin – wna24

Russian President Vladimir Putin has stated that Russia “agrees” with the idea of a ceasefire in Ukraine but insists that the “root causes of the crisis” must be resolved to ensure lasting peace. His remarks come as the U.S. pushes for a ceasefire proposal amid ongoing negotiations.

Speaking at a press conference, Putin thanked U.S. President Donald Trump for focusing on the issue but stressed that any ceasefire must not merely pause the fighting.

“We agree with the proposal for a ceasefire to cease hostilities, but we proceed from the fact that this ceasefire should lead to an enduring peace, and should remove the root causes of this crisis,” he said.

Putin also referenced the recent fighting in the Russian border region of Kursk, stating that the situation there was “fully under control” and that Ukrainian forces were now trapped. “The group that invaded our territory has been fully isolated,” he claimed. “They will have to surrender or die.”

Putin raised multiple concerns about how a ceasefire would be implemented and what it would mean for Russian advances along the frontline.

“Who will give orders to cease hostilities? And what will these orders be worth, along 2000 kilometers? Who will decide where there’s been a violation of the possible ceasefire agreement along all along the 2000 kilometer line, and who will be blamed? Who will be blamed for violating the ceasefire?” Putin said. 

Speaking about Ukrainian incursion into Russia’s Kursk, and the impact of a potential ceasefire, Putin asked “would that mean that everybody there would leave? Should we release them after they have committed numerous crimes against civilians there, or will the Ukrainian leadership command them to surrender?” 

He also questioned how a ceasefire could be monitored along the roughly 2,000-kilometer frontline and whether it would simply give Ukraine time to rebuild its forces.

“How will other aspects be dealt with along the 2,000-kilometer contact line? Russian troops are advancing practically in every sector, and all the conditions are there for us to besiege fairly large units,” Putin claimed.

He warned that a ceasefire could allow Ukraine to regroup and rearm. “Would that allow Ukraine to continue a forced mobilization, a supply of arms to Ukraine, so that the newly mobilized units can be trained, or will that not be done?” he asked.

Despite these concerns, Putin left the door open for further discussions and hinted at the possibility of a direct call with Trump to negotiate the details.

“All these issues need to be carefully, painstakingly studied by both sides,” he said. “The idea is good, and we absolutely support it, but there are issues we need to discuss and I think we need to negotiate with our American colleagues and partners, maybe a phone call with President Trump,” the Russian President said, adding, “but the very idea of ending this conflict by peaceful means we support that”. 

While the Kremlin’s stance remains cautious, Putin’s remarks signal that Russia is at least willing to explore the ceasefire proposal—though only on terms that align with its broader strategic objectives.