Moscow: Ceasefire will only
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s top foreign policy adviser said the 30-day ceasefire proposed by the United States to end the war in Ukraine is not a permanent solution. Moscow has told Washington that it will only give Kiev forces a rest, the Anadolu Agency reported on Thursday (March 13).
Recent Russian military advances and US President Donald Trump’s efforts to broker a peace deal to end the three-year war in Ukraine have raised fears of defeat for Western-backed Kiev.
Recent Russian military advances and US President Donald Trump’s peace efforts have raised fears of defeat for Western-backed Kiev. Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff met with Putin in Moscow on Thursday. US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz outlined the ceasefire proposal on Wednesday, and Russia agreed to discuss it.
Trump expressed hope at the White House on Wednesday that the Kremlin would agree to the 30-day ceasefire proposal. Ukraine has also supported the proposal.
Putin’s foreign policy spokesman, Yuri Ushakov, spoke to Waltz on Wednesday and explained Russia’s position. “This is nothing more than a temporary pause for Ukrainian troops. Our goal is a long-term peace that takes into account our interests and concerns,” he said.
He added, “No one needs any pretense of peace.”
A senior Kremlin official said Putin believes Russia’s military advances have put Moscow in a strong position in peace talks.
It is not yet clear how Trump will resolve the situation. He said on Wednesday that he hopes Moscow will agree to a ceasefire to stop the bloodshed. “I can do something that would be very bad for Russia. I don’t want to do that because I want peace. But financially we can do something very bad for Russia.”
Trump has threatened tough economic sanctions on Russia if a ceasefire fails. But he has also offered to ease sanctions if a ceasefire is agreed. The Kremlin says all sanctions imposed on it are illegal and should be lifted.
