Putin Says Ukraine Ceasefire Plan Has ‘Nuances’, Wants Trump To Answer ‘Serious Questions’

Last Updated:March 13, 2025, 21:59 IST

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday said that his nation is 'in favour' of a 30-day ceasefire in the Ukraine war, but 'there are nuances' and said that the US should hold ceasefire discussions with Russia and wanted American counterpart Donald Trump to play a...Read More

Russia's President Vladimir Putin also expressed concern on how the truce in the ongoing Ukraine war would work out. (IMAGE: AFP)

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday said that his nation is ‘in favour’ of a 30-day ceasefire in the Ukraine war, but ‘there are nuances’ and said that the US should hold ceasefire discussions with Russia and wanted American counterpart Donald Trump to play a role.

He also said that the ceasefire should lead to long-term solutions while highlighting that the Kursk offensive, to seize regions of Kursk from Ukrainian control, would determine ‘next steps’ on ceasefire.

He added that any Ukraine ceasefire must lead to a long-term settlement of the conflict and address its root causes.

“We agree with proposals to cease hostilities, but on the basis that that cessation would lead to long-term peace and addresses the root causes of the crisis," Putin told a press conference in Moscow, responding to a joint US-Ukrainian plan for a 30-day truce.

The Russian President also said that he had “serious questions" that he needed to discuss with the United States, possibly directly with President Donald Trump.

Putin said he was “for" the proposal of a 30-day ceasefire “but that there are nuances" and that he had “serious questions" about how it would work. “I think we need to talk to our American colleagues… Maybe have a phone call with President Trump and discuss this with him," he told reporters.

The Kursk Question

Earlier, Russian officials said that the plan only would lead to a “temporary breather" for Ukrainian forces who are locked in a heavy battle with Russian army.

Russia said Thursday it had taken full control of Sudzha, a town in the Kursk region that fell to Ukrainian troops shortly after their shock offensive last August.

Sudzha, home to around 5,000 people before the fighting, was the largest settlement Kyiv seized after it launched its cross-border assault into Russia last year.

Ukraine now risks losing its grip on the border region entirely, ceding dozens of square kilometres in the past seven days, according to military bloggers.

The Kursk region was one of Kyiv’s few bargaining chips in swapping land with Russia, which has occupied around a fifth of Ukraine since it took Crimea in 2014 and launched its full-scale assault in February 2022.

The Russian defence ministry said in a statement on Thursday it had “liberated" Sudzha along with two other settlements in the border region.

Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the region on Wednesday.

Dressed in battle fatigues, he expressed hope his army would “fully liberate" areas under Kyiv’s control.

Moscow’s rapid advances in the region came after the US paused intelligence sharing and security support for Ukraine, although a military analyst cautioned against making a direct link.

Outnumbered and outgunned by Russian troops, Kyiv has been ceding ground across the front line for over a year.

(with AFP inputs)

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News world Putin Says Ukraine Ceasefire Plan Has ‘Nuances’, Wants Trump To Answer ‘Serious Questions’