Putin Sets Own Conditions for Ceasefire

MOSCOW, Russia - 13 March 2025

Russian President Vladimir Putin has responded to the U.S.-Ukraine ceasefire proposal, expressing conditional support for a temporary halt to hostilities but insisting that any agreement must address what he calls the "root causes" of the war. Speaking at a press conference at the Kremlin, Putin acknowledged that “there is logic” in a 30-day cessation of fighting but stressed that Russia would only participate under specific conditions that favor Moscow’s strategic objectives.

Among his primary demands, Putin insisted that all Western military aid to Ukraine be suspended immediately for the duration of the ceasefire. He argued that continued arms shipments from the United States and NATO would allow Kyiv to "exploit the pause" to regroup and launch new offensives, a scenario he claimed would undermine the purpose of any truce. He made it clear that Russia would not agree to any arrangement that permitted Ukraine to strengthen its position while Russian troops remained engaged in the conflict.

In addition to halting Western aid, Putin called for the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from contested areas, particularly in and around the Russian-controlled Kursk region. Moscow has repeatedly accused Ukraine of launching cross-border incursions into Russian-held territory, and Putin asserted that Kyiv must demonstrate its commitment to peace through immediate military withdrawals. Without such concessions, he warned, any ceasefire would be meaningless and unsustainable.

The Russian president also emphasized the need for a long-term commitment to Ukraine’s neutrality, reiterating his long-standing demand that the country formally renounce any ambitions of joining NATO or other Western military alliances. He stressed that security guarantees from the West would be necessary to ensure Ukraine’s permanent neutrality, a position that he claimed was essential for lasting regional stability.

Putin’s response has been met with skepticism in Kyiv and among Western allies. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed the Russian leader’s conditions as a thinly veiled attempt to dictate Ukraine’s sovereignty. In a televised address, Zelensky stated that Moscow’s proposal was “nothing new” and amounted to an ultimatum rather than a genuine offer for peace. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who was part of the negotiations in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, also rejected Putin’s demands, warning that a ceasefire could not come at the expense of Ukraine’s territorial integrity. NATO officials echoed these concerns, arguing that Putin’s preconditions suggested he was more interested in freezing the conflict on his own terms than in seeking a meaningful resolution.

Analysts suggest that Putin’s ceasefire response is a calculated move aimed at consolidating Russia’s territorial gains while preventing Ukraine from receiving further military support. Some experts argue that Russia could use a ceasefire to strengthen its defensive positions and prepare for a renewed offensive once the pause ends. Dmitry Trenin, a Russian foreign policy expert, remarked that Putin’s demands were designed to weaken Ukraine’s military capabilities while keeping Russia’s options open, concluding that "this is not about peace; it’s about gaining a better position for the next phase of the war.”

Meanwhile, China and India have welcomed Putin’s willingness to engage in talks, with Beijing calling for “compromise on both sides” to reach a diplomatic resolution. However, Western officials remain cautious, given Russia’s history of violating previous ceasefire agreements.

Image: Kremlin/Wikimedia Commons

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