 "Manipulative, scared: Zelenskyy slams Putin's response to US ceasefire deal")
“He is, in fact, preparing a rejection at present, because Putin is of course scared to tell President Trump that he wants to continue this war, that he wants to kill Ukrainians,” Zelenskyy said in an address. His remarks follow a tense exchange with Trump during a recent White House visit.
Zelenskyy accused Putin of setting preconditions for the ceasefire to either delay the process or render it ineffective. “Nothing happens at all, or so that it cannot happen for as long as possible,” he said, news report Reuters reported.
He argued that a ceasefire would allow time to develop solutions for “long-term security and a real, reliable peace, and put on the table a plan to end the war”.
On Thursday, Putin expressed conditional support for the US proposal, stating that Russia agreed with the idea in principle but required clarifications and specific conditions. He emphasised that certain details needed resolution before reaching a consensus and stressed that the deal should address the root causes of the conflict.
“We agree with the proposal to cease hostilities [in Ukraine] but proceed from the assumption that this cessation must be of the kind that should lead to long-term peace and eliminate the root causes of this crisis," Putin said during a press conference at the Kremlin following discussions with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, as later shared by the Russian Foreign Ministry.
The ongoing war, which began in February 2022, has resulted in thousands of casualties and displaced millions. Putin's remarks suggested that an immediate end to hostilities remains uncertain.
Despite this, Putin acknowledged Trump’s efforts toward brokering a ceasefire. Meanwhile, Trump described the Russian President’s comments as “very promising” and expressed hope that Moscow would take the “right course of action”.
“At this moment, we have people talking in Russia, we have representatives over there, Steve Witkoff and others. They’re in very serious discussions,” Trump stated during an Oval Office meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. Trump also signalled his willingness to have a direct phone conversation with Putin regarding the matter.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, the US President warned Russia of financial consequences should it fail to comply with the truce agreement negotiated between Kyiv and Washington in Saudi Arabia.
Amid these developments, Russian forces have intensified their offensive in the Kursk region. Russian officials claimed to have expelled Ukrainian troops from the largest town in the area.
[With agency inputs]