Aleksey Babushkin; Sputnik; Kremlin Pool/EPA
Russian President Vladimir Putin
Russians signal interest in accepting the 30-day ceasefire proposal, but require more negotiations. Moscow is good as it will not accept if foreign military forces are sent to Ukraine.
The Russian President said today that he supports the cessation of military actions in Ukraine, since Bring to a “lasting peace”in response to the US 30 -day respite from the United States, which has already been accepted by Kiev.
“Russia agrees with the proposal to cease military action, but we assume that this must lasting to a lasting peace And eliminate the deep causes of the crisis, ”Putin said at a press conference at Kremlin after a meeting with his Belarusian homologist Alexander Lukashenko.
However, Putin requires greater clarity in terms of ceasefire and warns of various “nuances” and “serious problems.” “Would that mean that everyone would leave each other? Should we free them after having committed numerous crimes against civilians, or will the Ukrainian leaders order them to income them? What will this happen? This is not clear“He said.
Putin praised the Russian troops for “advancing in virtually all areas of the contact line” and stressed that the ceasefire should not be used to rearm the Ukrainians or to help them mobilize more troops.
“How will the other aspects be treated over the 2000 kilometers of the contact line? As you know, Russian troops are advancing practically in all sectors of the contact line and all the conditions are gathered to surround very large units. So what would happen during these 30 days? ”He asked.
The Russian leader added additionally a number of practical issues that have to be resolved, including the resolution of the Ukrainian “foray” in the Russian region of Kursk and the control of any ceasefire violations. “All of these issues have to be carefully studied by both parties,” he said.
Putin suggested that he would have to negotiate the outstanding issues “with our American colleagues and partners,” suggesting “Perhaps a telephone call with President Trump.”
“Nothing more than a relief to Ukraine”
Putin’s statement arises after several Kremlin officials have already publicly expressed some criticism of proposal for ceasefire. The meeting with Lukashenko also comes as Steven Witkoff, an envoy of former US President Donald Trump, arrived in Moscow for talks with Vladimir Putin to negotiate peace.
Yuri Ushakov, a Kremlin advisor, said Moscow considers the 30-day ceasefire proposal inadequate and hastystressing that Russia’s position should be considered in any agreement.
“The steps that only Immite peaceful actions It is not necessary to anyone in this situation, ”said Ushakov in an interview with Russian state television, where he adds that the break is” nothing more than a brief relief to the Ukrainian forces. “
Witkoff, officially sent from Trump to the Middle East, played a fundamental role in peace efforts regarding the Russian conflict. His visit to Moscow follows the conversations between US and Ukrainian employees in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where Ukraine accepted the ceasefire proposal and defined some steps to permanent peace, such as the exchange of prisoners.
Nevertheless, Russia has shown little interest in immediate cessation of hostilities. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called for prudence with regard to an answer, stating that they were More discussions are required With the US before making any commitments, it says.
However, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova indicated Moscow’s availability to speak. “We are willing to discuss the initiatives defined therein in future contacts with the United States. Russia will not accept the sending of foreign armed forces For Ukraine, as this would constitute a direct involvement in the conflict, and Moscow will respond with all available means, ”he warns.
Observers believe that Russia’s reluctance is due to their advantage in the battlefield and their strategy of require significant concessions before agreeing with any ceasefire. Reuters and Bloomberg reports suggest that Russia has outlined several conditions to finish the war, including the demilitarization of Ukraine, the end of Western military aid and guarantees that Kiev will remain out of the swim. In addition, Moscow intends to obtain international recognition of the annexation of Crimea and four Ukrainian regions.
In addition to Ukraine, Russia can also review broader demands in 2021, including Restrictions on NATO expansion and to military detachments in Eastern Europe. European guardians are afraid that acceptance of these conditions can weaken western security and allow Russia to widen its influence to the entire continent.
