Russian President Vladimir Putin said he agreed with the idea of a ceasefire in Ukraine, but that “questions” remained about the nature of a truce as he set out a number of tough conditions.
The Russian president was responding to a plan for a 30-day ceasefire, which Ukraine agreed to earlier this week after talks with the US.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described Putin’s response to the plan as “manipulative” and called for more sanctions on Russia.
Meanwhile, the US placed further sanctions on Russian oil, gas and banking sectors.
Russian officials said Putin was expected to hold talks on the ceasefire on Thursday evening with US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff, who had flown to Moscow earlier that day.
It is not clear whether that meeting actually took place. On Friday, Russia’s state-run media quoted the air traffic monitoring website Flightradar as saying the plane believed to be carrying Witkoff had left Moscow.
Moscow and Washington have not commented on the issue.
- Is Putin ready for a ceasefire or playing for time?
Late on Thursday and overnight, both Russia and Ukraine reported new enemy drone attacks.
Ukraine said seven people – including children – were injured in the north-eastern city of Kharkiv.
Russia reported a large fire at an oil facility in the southern city of Tuapse.
Putin’s Conditions for a Ceasefire
At a press conference in Moscow, Putin detailed his concerns, emphasizing that a ceasefire should address the “root causes” of the conflict. His list of demands includes:
1. Ukrainian Military Withdrawal from Key Regions
Putin insists that Ukrainian forces retreat from the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions—areas Russia has claimed but does not fully control. He argues that these territories should remain under Moscow’s authority, a demand that directly contradicts Ukraine’s sovereignty.
2. NATO Membership Off the Table
One of Russia’s core grievances since the start of the war has been Ukraine’s aspirations to join NATO. Putin now demands that Ukraine officially abandon any future NATO membership and adopt a stance of military neutrality. This condition aligns with previous Russian rhetoric but remains a major sticking point for Ukraine and its Western allies.
3. No Western Military Aid During Ceasefire
Putin questions how a 30-day truce would be monitored, warning that Ukraine might use the break to restock its military arsenal. He wants guarantees that Ukraine will not receive weapons, training, or intelligence from Western allies during the ceasefire.
4. Lifting of Economic Sanctions
Russia is also pushing for the removal of U.S. and European sanctions, particularly those targeting its oil and gas sectors. The Kremlin sees this as an essential component of any deal, though Western nations are unlikely to concede without significant Russian concessions.
At Thursday's press conference, Putin also outlined some of his questions over how a ceasefire would work. He asked: "How will those 30 days be used? For Ukraine to mobilise? Rearm? Train people? Or none of that? Then a question - how will that be controlled?"
"Who will give the order to end the fighting? At what cost? Who decides who has broken any possible ceasefire, over 2,000km? All those questions need meticulous work from both sides. Who polices it?"
Ukraine and the U.S. Respond
Speaking at the White House following Putin’s remarks, Trump said he would “love” to meet the Russian leader and that he hoped Russia would “do the right thing” and agree to the proposed 30-day truce.
“We’d like to see a ceasefire from Russia,” he said.
Speaking earlier at a meeting in the Oval Office with Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte, Trump told reporters he had already discussed specifics with Ukraine.
“We’ve been discussing with Ukraine land and pieces of land that would be kept and lost, and all of the other elements of a final agreement,” Trump said.
“A lot of the details of a final agreement have actually been discussed.”
On the subject of Ukraine joining the Nato military alliance, Trump said “everybody knows what the answer to that is”.
The fresh sanctions on Russian oil and gas came as the Trump administration further restricted access to US payment systems, making it harder for other countries to buy Russian oil.
Earlier in the day, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov rejected the ceasefire proposal put forward by the US.
On Wednesday, the Kremlin released a video it said showed Putin visiting Russia’s Kursk region, symbolically dressed in military fatigues. Russia later said it recaptured the key town of Sudzha.
Russia launched a full-scale invasion in February 2022, and now controls about 20% of Ukrainian territory.
More than 95,000 people fighting for Russia’s military have been killed in the war, according to data analysed so far and confirmed by the BBC. The actual death toll is believed to be much higher.
Russia’s military has not publicly revealed its battlefield casualties since September 2022, when it said 5,937 soldiers had been killed.
Ukraine last updated its casualty figures in December 2024, when Zelensky acknowledged 43,000 Ukrainian deaths among soldiers and officers. Western analysts believe this figure to be underestimated.
A Peace Deal or a Strategic Pause?
The back-and-forth over the ceasefire proposal underscores the deep divisions between Russia, Ukraine, and the West. Analysts suggest that Putin’s preconditions could be a way to delay any real negotiations while keeping the military advantage. By pushing for impossible terms, Russia can claim to support peace while continuing its war efforts.
On the other hand, Ukraine and its allies view any ceasefire that cements Russian territorial gains as unacceptable. Instead, Kyiv wants a phased approach: first securing a temporary ceasefire and then engaging in negotiations on a long-term solution.
For now, the prospects of an actual ceasefire remain uncertain. With ongoing drone attacks from both sides and intensifying battles in key areas, the war is far from over.
The Road Ahead
As diplomatic maneuvering continues, three key questions will shape the future of this conflict:
- Will the West increase military support for Ukraine despite Russia’s warnings?
- Can the U.S. and its allies exert enough economic pressure on Russia to bring it to the negotiating table?
- Is Putin genuinely interested in peace, or is he using this ceasefire proposal as a tactical delay?
While both sides publicly discuss peace, the reality on the ground tells a different story. The coming weeks will be crucial in determining whether this latest proposal is a step toward ending the war or just another chapter in a prolonged and devastating conflict.
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