Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced that he is “in favor” of the deal for a 30-day ceasefire with Ukraine that was negotiated by President Donald Trump’s administration.
In a statement on Thursday, Putin said he wants to discuss “long-term peace” with Trump before signing the deal.
Putin said he supports the proposal of a 30-day ceasefire “but that there are nuances” that he’d like to discuss with Trump.
The Russian leader added that he also has “serious questions” about how the peace deal between Russia and Ukraine would work.
“I think we need to talk to our American colleagues,” Putin told reporters.
“Maybe have a phone call with President Trump and discuss this with him.”
Among the details he’d like to discuss, Putin noted the need to develop a mechanism to control possible breaches of the truce.
Another issue, he said, is whether Ukraine could use the 30-day ceasefire to continue mobilization and rearmament.
Putin argued that the ceasefire must lead to “long-term peace” and not serve as an opportunity for Ukraine to regroup.
“We agree with the proposals to halt the fighting, but we proceed from the assumption that the ceasefire should lead to lasting peace and remove the root causes of the crisis,” Putin said.
The Russian president said any ceasefire must lead to “long-term peace.”
But this stands in opposition to comments made by his aide, Yuri Ushakov.
Ushakov said earlier that the proposed ceasefire deal was “hasty.”
He warned that it would give breathing space to Ukrainian forces at a time when Moscow is close to fully retaking territory in its Kursk region from Kyiv’s forces.
Nevetheless, Putin told reporters during the Thursday news conference in Moscow that he agreed with the U.S-proposed deal “in principle.”
The deal would halt fighting for 30 days, according to the Associated Press.
Putin made the comments just hours before Trump’s U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff was scheduled to arrive in Russia to further negotiate the terms of the proposal.
“So the idea itself is correct, and we certainly support it,” Putin said during the conference.
“But there are issues that we need to discuss, and I think that we need to discuss it with our American colleagues and partners.”
Ukraine agreed to the terms of the ceasefire on Tuesday pending Russian approval.
The agreement was made during a meeting with U.S. diplomats and Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia.
The U.S. also resumed their military and economic aid to Ukraine in the interim period.
The war has raged on for three years, taking tens of thousands of Ukrainian and Russian lives.
So far, the conflict has cost the U.S. over $170 billion in aid.
Initially, peace negotiations headed by the U.S. imploded during a heated Oval Office meeting between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Just days after the incident, Zelensky apologized for the incident and reiterated his interest in peace.
Moreover, Trump threatened to sanction and tariff Russia after they launched a massive attack on Ukrainian infrastructure on March 7.
Trump warned that Russia must pursue a ceasefire and “final settlement agreement.”
