Russia-Ukraine: Putin responds to proposals that emerged between the United States and Ukraine in Riyadh

Russia has officially responded to the ceasefire proposal put forward by the United States in the framework of negotiations for a diplomatic solution to the conflict in Ukraine. The Russian president Vladimir Putin has said he supports a truce in principle, but only if the agreement ensures lasting peace and addresses the root causes of the crisis.

Le Putin's statements came during a joint press conference with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, during which the Kremlin leader He specified a number of conditions necessary for Russia to accept a ceasefire.

The conditions set by Moscow

Putin listed several points that, according to Moscow, need to be clarified before accepting the truce:

• Situation on the groundThe Russian President stressed that Russia is moving forward on several fronts and that any negotiations should be based on the current military reality.
• Ukrainian encirclement in Kursk: Putin said that Russian troops have now surrounded Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region, making their escape “almost impossible.” According to the Kremlin, Kiev would have every interest in agreeing to a 30-day ceasefire to avoid heavy losses.
• Fears about the truce: Putin fears that Ukraine may use the truce to receive new weapons from the West and strengthen the mobilization of its troops. "It is unclear how the situation on the line of contact would be handled in the event of a ceasefire.", he has declared.
• Who will ensure that the truce is respected?: Putin raised doubts about who should monitor compliance with the ceasefire along the 2.000 km of the contact line, wondering who would be responsible in case of violations.
• Territorial requestsMoscow insists on recognizing Russian sovereignty over the regions of Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, as well as Crimea, annexed in 2014.

Zelensky: “Putin is a manipulator”

From the Ukrainian front, the response was harsher. President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Putin of wanting to sabotage the American proposal by posing impossible conditions. “Awe have heard the usual manipulations of the Russian dictator" Zelensky said, stressing that the Kremlin was not really interested in peace.

Trump: “Promising Signs, But Incomplete”

Il US President Donald Trump, who met with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, called Putin's statements "promising but incompleteand”. TRump said he wanted to meet the Russian president to discuss the details of the proposal in person. Meanwhile, the His special envoy Steve Witkoff has already had direct talks with Putin in the Kremlin.

The role of the international community

The Other international actors have expressed their views on the ceasefire proposal:

• Saudi Arabia: The Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman expressed Riyadh's support for "all initiatives" that could end the war, reiterating Saudi Arabia's commitment to facilitating dialogue between the parties.
• China: Beijing said it supported a “lasting and fair” peace deal and said she was available to play an active role in the mediation.
• Kremlin 'cautiously optimistic'Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow was cautiously optimistic about the possibility of reaching an agreement with Washington.

Next Steps: Towards a Putin-Trump Talk?

According to the Kremlin, a phone call between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump could be the next step in clarifying the terms of the truce. However, Moscow insists on the need for in-depth negotiations to prevent the ceasefire from being exploited to Ukraine's advantage.

The situation remains fluid and uncertain, with fighting continuing and the parties still far from a definitive agreement.The next few days will be crucial to understand whether diplomacy can really stop the war or whether the conflict will continue.