Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed support for a ceasefire in Ukraine, although he cautioned that the path to peace is fraught with complications and conditions. During a press conference with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Putin articulated his conditional agreement to proposals aimed at halting military actions, emphasizing the need for a solution that addresses the underlying causes of the conflict.

Putin is scheduled to meet with Steve Witkoff, an envoy of U.S. President Donald Trump, in a private session at the Kremlin to discuss the American proposals further. Despite his general support for ending the conflict, Putin highlighted several significant hurdles that could impede a swift resolution.

“We agree with the proposals to stop military actions, but we proceed from the fact that this cessation should be such that it would lead to long-term peace and eliminate the root causes of the crisis,” Putin stated, pointing to deep-seated Russian grievances with Ukraine that complicate the peace process.

Russia describes its military actions in Ukraine as a limited operation to eliminate what it falsely claims are Nazis controlling Ukraine. However, Kyiv and its Western allies argue that Russia’s true objectives include undermining Ukrainian democracy, annexing large areas, and preventing Ukraine’s alignment with Western institutions like the EU and NATO.

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Putin outlined that any peace agreement would have to include international recognition of territories seized by Russia, assurances that Ukraine will not join NATO, and guarantees that European peacekeepers would not be stationed in Ukraine to prevent further Russian aggression.

During the press conference, Putin also referred to recent military engagements, claiming that Ukrainian forces in Russia’s Kursk region had abandoned their equipment, facing a blockade that left them with no option but to surrender or perish.

Addressing the potential ceasefire, Putin raised additional concerns: “How will these 30 days be used? For the purpose of continuing forced mobilization in Ukraine? For the purpose of supplying weapons there? For the purpose of newly mobilized personnel to undergo training? Or will nothing of this kind be done? Then a question arises: How will the issues of control, verification be addressed?”

Putin suggested that these issues require thorough examination and proposed a discussion with American counterparts, possibly including a phone conversation with President Trump. “But we support ending this conflict in a peaceful way,” he affirmed.

Meanwhile, negotiations have intensified, with American negotiators meeting with Ukrainian leaders in Saudi Arabia to develop a ceasefire proposal acceptable to Ukraine. President Trump confirmed that discussions are ongoing and expressed hope that Russia would agree to the terms being negotiated.

However, former Russian diplomat Boris Bondarev, who previously worked at Russia’s permanent mission to the United Nations in Geneva, expressed skepticism about Putin’s intentions, suggesting that the Russian leader is more interested in continuing the conflict to achieve his objectives.

Trump emphasized the importance of reaching a deal and hinted at potential consequences if Russia fails to agree, stating, “Now we’re going to see if Russia is there and, if not, it will be a very disappointing moment for the world.” He also reassured that Putin would not invade other European countries, with the U.S. committed to preventing such an occurrence.