13 Mar, 19:49
Russia for truce, but ‘nuances’ remain — highlights of Putin’s remarks to media
MOSCOW, March 13. /TASS/. The notion of a ceasefire is valid, and Russia supports it; however, there are several issues that require further discussion, President Vladimir Putin stated following talks with his Belarusian counterpart, Alexander Lukashenko. The Russian leader emphasized that Moscow is prepared to negotiate the next steps toward ending the conflict in Ukraine and reaching acceptable agreements based on the rapidly evolving situation on the ground, which is shifting in Russia’s favor. TASS has compiled the key statements made by the president.
A Valid Proposal, but Nuances Persist
“We are supportive, but there are nuances,” Putin remarked.
While he acknowledged that “the idea itself is correct,” he emphasized the need for further discussions: “I think we should communicate with our American colleagues and partners, perhaps even arrange a call with President [Donald] Trump.”
Russia will determine the next steps to resolve the conflict in Ukraine “based on how the situation on the ground evolves.”
The Evolving Situation “on the Ground”
The dynamics along the engagement line between the Russian Armed Forces and Ukrainian military are rapidly shifting in Russia’s favor: “Yesterday, during a report, the commander of the battle group North and his deputy informed me: ‘Tomorrow, Sudzha will be in our hands.’ That is precisely what occurred.”
Russia maintains full control of the situation in the Kursk Region: “The group that invaded our territory is now isolated. There is complete isolation and comprehensive fire control.”
It is becoming increasingly impossible for Ukrainian forces to escape encirclement near Kursk: “Control over the Ukrainian troops within this incursion zone has been lost.”
Ukraine would benefit from a 30-day truce considering the situation in the Kursk Region: “If we cease hostilities for 30 days, what does that imply? Will everyone inside simply leave without resistance? Are we to allow them to exit after they have committed numerous crimes against civilians? Or will the Ukrainian leadership issue a command to lay down arms? How will this unfold? It remains uncertain.”
Russian forces are advancing across nearly all areas of engagement: “Conditions are also being established for us to completely blockade fairly large units.”
Challenges in Ceasefire Verification
Monitoring the ceasefire in Ukraine will be challenging if fighting halts: “Who will determine where and who has violated a potential ceasefire agreement along a 2,000-kilometer line? Who will attribute blame for any violations? These are all questions that require thorough examination from both sides.”
Putin Signals He’s Open to Ceasefire as Witkoff Arrives for Talks
An aide to Putin said the proposal would only help Ukraine regroup and that it would need to be adjusted to meet Moscow’s positionby
Dave DeCamp
March 13, 2025
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signaled that he’s open to a ceasefire in Ukraine but that he has “questions” about the 30-day US-Ukraine proposal that need to be discussed.
“The idea itself is the right one, and we definitely support it,” Putin said, according to The New York Times. “But there are questions that we need to discuss, and I think that we need to talk them through with our American colleagues and partners.”
The Russian leader listed potential conditions for a 30-day truce, including a guarantee that Ukraine wouldn’t be supplied with more weapons. “We also want guarantees that during the 30-day ceasefire, Ukraine will not conduct mobilization, will not train soldiers, and will not receive weapons,” he said, according to RT.
Putin also questioned who would monitor the ceasefire. “Who will determine where and who has violated a potential ceasefire agreement along a 2,000-kilometer line? Who will attribute blame for any violations? These are all questions that require thorough examination from both sides,” he said.
The Russian leader said any long-term peace deal needs to address the “root causes” of the war. He made the comments as US envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Russia to discuss the proposal. Yuri Ushakov, a Kremlin official, said Witkoff would be holding a closed-door meeting with Putin.
Ushakov also said the US-Ukraine proposal would only give Ukraine a chance to regroup, and it would need to be adjusted to meet Moscow’s interests.
“As for the 30-day temporary ceasefire, what is it about? There is nothing in it for us. It will only provide the Ukrainians with the opportunity to regroup and gain strength to continue doing what they are doing,” he said, according to Russia’s TASS news agency.
“These are some hasty actions that do not benefit a long-term settlement … We will need to work on it, to think it over so that it reflects our position, too. It reflects only Ukraine’s stance at this point,” he added.
Ushakov said that Russia wanted a long-term peace deal and that the “official” Russian position on the US-Ukraine proposal would be formulated by Putin.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov made similar comments opposing the idea of a temporary ceasefire, pointing to the Minsk Accords, which were first reached in 2014 for a truce in Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region. Lavrov also mentioned the “Istanbul agreement,” referring to a peace deal that was on the table in March and April 2022, which was discouraged by the US and its allies.
“I’m talking about the Minsk Accords, the deal that was discarded after the 2014 coup, and the Istanbul agreements. All of those included a ceasefire. And every time, it turned out that they had lied to us. The Ukrainians lied with the support of their European partners,” Lavrov said.
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