Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday, March 13, that Russia agrees in principle with the U.S.-led ceasefire plan supported by Ukraine earlier this week, but stopped short of committing to any deal, stating that further negotiations are needed and any agreement must lead to “enduring peace.”
“The idea [of a ceasefire]itself is correct, and we certainly support it, but there are issues that need to be discussed. I think we need to talk to our American colleagues and partners. Maybe we should call President Trump and discuss it together. But we support the idea of ending this conflict through peaceful means,” Putin said, according to an NBC translation.
He also emphasized that any agreement should “proceed from the fact that this cessation should be such that it leads to long-term peace and addresses the root causes of this crisis.”
“We are in favor of it, but there are nuances,” he added when asked about the 30-day ceasefire deal brokered by the White House. Kyiv backed the plan on Tuesday, contingent on Moscow’s agreement.
Putin questioned whether the 30 days would be used to “supply weapons” or “train newly mobilized units,” and expressed concerns about how potential ceasefire violations would be monitored.
A U.S. delegation, led by President Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff, arrived in Moscow on Thursday to begin ceasefire talks.
Earlier, Russian officials had suggested that Russia would not immediately sign onto the U.S.-led deal. Yuri Ushakov, a presidential aide, did not confirm or deny the reports but remarked that a truce would allow Ukraine to bolster its forces, describing the plan as “a temporary respite for the Ukrainian military, nothing more.”
The draft agreement calls for a complete halt to Russian and Ukrainian military activities, potentially extending beyond the 30-day term by mutual agreement. It also includes provisions for the exchange of prisoners of war, the release of civilian detainees, and the return of Ukrainian children forcibly transferred to Russia.
The U.S. immediately lifted its pause on sharing intelligence and military aid with Ukraine after the country’s support for the deal.
Analysts note that while Russia has suffered significant losses on the battlefield, it is now making gradual but steady advances in Ukraine, which has also been complicated by its deteriorating relationship with the U.S.
