Vladimir Putin in favour of 'idea' of Ukraine ceasefire, but says details need work

Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Russia "favors" a ceasefire in Ukraine, but the details of any U.S.-brokered truce still need to be finalized. He emphasized that the ceasefire should lead to long-term peace and eliminate the root causes of the crisis, which is vital for stability.

Russia invaded Ukraine in early 2022, resulting in hundreds of thousands of casualties, displacing millions, reducing towns to ruins, and triggering the most intense confrontation between Moscow and Western countries in decades. Putin told reporters at a press conference in the Kremlin: "We agree with the proposal to stop hostilities. The idea itself is correct, and we certainly support it."

However, President Putin does not appear ready to sign an agreement yet. He added: "But there are some issues that we need to discuss. I think we also need to have a dialogue with our American counterparts." It is reported that U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff will meet with the Russian President in the coming hours, seeking a breakthrough. Putin also stated that he might call Trump to discuss the matter further.

Previously, Ukraine agreed to the U.S.-led 30-day ceasefire proposal on Tuesday after holding talks with a U.S. delegation in Saudi Arabia. Trump stated at a press conference with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte that the Russian President's statement was "very promising," but he also said that the agreement was not yet finalized and hoped that Moscow would "do the right thing" to achieve peace.

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy said earlier on Thursday that Russia is trying to "prolong the war" by delaying the signing of a ceasefire agreement. He believes that Putin is preparing to reject the ceasefire proposal but is afraid to tell Trump directly, creating further uncertainty. Zelenskyy also stated that Moscow has not yet given a "meaningful" response to the proposed 30-day ceasefire agreement, while Ukraine and the United States had previously announced their support for it, showing commitment.

Putin stated that he would decide on the "next steps" regarding the ceasefire proposal based on the progress of Russia's current operation to expel Ukrainian forces from the Russian Kursk region. It is reported that Russian forces have made rapid progress recently, reversing the situation. Ukraine occupied a small portion of the Russian region after launching a cross-border counteroffensive last August, but now the momentum has shifted.