Putin open to ceasefire 'if it leads to lasting peace'
Russian president Vladimir Putin is in favour of the proposal for a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine, he said at a press conference on Thursday. He added a potential ceasefire must lead to lasting peace, and that the US proposal had "issues" that needed to be addressed first.
Putin took questions from the Russian media at a press conference on Thursday, which he held with Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko. A major topic was the US proposal for a 30-day ceasefire, which Ukraine accepted earlier this week.
"We agree with the proposal to cease hostilities, but it should lead to a lasting peace and remove the root causes of this crisis," Putin said. The Russian president did not specify what these causes were or how they could be removed.
Phone call with Trump
While Putin responded positively to the US ceasefire proposal, he also said there were a number of "issues" that needed to be addressed first. These include how the ceasefire will be monitored, who will monitor it, and what will happen to the Ukrainian soldiers currently occupying territory in Russia's Kursk region.
Putin suggested that a phone call with US president Donald Trump might be necessary before Russia could accept the ceasefire. "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."
"I think we need to negotiate with our American colleagues and partners"
Trump, who hosted NATO secretary-general Mark Rutte at the White House around the same time, said he would be willing to do so. During the meeting, Trump said he would "love to meet" and talk with the Russian president.
Trump further pointed out that some of his staff are currently in Russia. The Kremlin confirmed earlier on Thursday that Steve Witkoff, Trump's Middle East envoy, would meet with Putin on Thursday night.
© PHOTO MAXIM SHEMETOV / POOL / AFP
Related news
