Putin thanks Trump for principles of ceasefire push, but does not say yes

In an code afloat of nuance, Russian President Vladimir Putin  on Thursday thanked President Donald Trump for his efforts to extremity the hostilities successful Ukraine, but said helium wanted lasting bid implicit a 30-day ceasefire. 

"The thought itself is correct, and we surely enactment it," Putin said successful a cautiously worded connection during a quality league successful Moscow. "But determination are issues that we request to discuss, and I deliberation that we request to sermon it with our American colleagues and partners."

"We hold with the proposals to halt the fighting, but we proceed from the presumption that the ceasefire should pb to lasting bid and region the basal causes of the crisis," Putin added. 

From left, Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and nationalist information advisor Mike Waltz conscionable with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and Saudi National Security Advisor Mosaad bin Mohammad Al-Aiban, arsenic good arsenic Russian President Vladimir Putin's overseas argumentation advisor Yuri Ushakov and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov successful Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Feb. 18, 2025. (Associated Press)

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Putin was cautious not to straight accidental nary to the 30-day ceasefire woody Ukraine agreed with earlier this week, but helium besides suggested determination were excessively galore variables to beryllium discussed, similar what happens to the Ukrainian troops successful Russia's Kursk region, which helium said volition beryllium afloat surrounded successful the coming days.

The Kremlin main besides claimed a ceasefire would lone payment Ukraine arsenic it would let Kyiv to mobilize and rearm.

"In these conditions, I judge it would beryllium bully for the Ukrainian broadside to unafraid a ceasefire for astatine slightest 30 days," Putin said.

The Russian president's comments echoed ones issued by his apical adjutant earlier successful the time erstwhile Yuri Ushakov told a Russian reporter, "Our presumption astir this is that it’s thing different than a impermanent breathing abstraction for Ukrainian forces and thing else." 

"We judge that our extremity is simply a semipermanent peaceful normalization – we are striving for this," helium added. "Our concerns are known. No 1 needs steps that imitate peaceful actions successful this situation."

Ushakov, who met with nationalist information advisor Mike Waltz and Secretary of State Marco Rubio past period successful Saudi Arabia, said yet Putin would code Moscow’s presumption connected the ceasefire during a property league aboriginal connected Thursday. 

The comments came aft Ushakov said helium spoke with Waltz and arsenic peculiar envoy Steve Witkoff landed successful Moscow to further sermon the agreement. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a associated quality league with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko pursuing their talks astatine the Grand Kremlin Palace successful Moscow, Russia, Thursday, March 13, 2025.  (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

Reports connected Thursday suggested Russia has enactment guardant its ain wishlist items to execute an extremity to the fighting, but those demands stay unconfirmed. Previous demands included barring Ukraine from joining NATO and power implicit the 5 Ukrainian regions it has illegally seized – lone 1 of which Russia afloat occupies.

Ukraine connected Tuesday agreed to the 30-day ceasefire pursuing an hours-long gathering with Waltz and Rubio successful Saudi Arabia, contingent connected the Kremlin’s acceptance of the terms. 

The ceasefire was an effort to get some sides to laic down their arms truthful that further negotiations on issues similar territory, concern status, the instrumentality of prisoners and the instrumentality of abducted Ukrainian children could past beryllium hashed out. 

The State Department did not instantly respond to Fox News Digital's questions. 

Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and nationalist information advisor Mike Waltz are interviewed successful Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Feb. 18, 2025. (Reuters/Evelyn Hockstein/Pool)

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Russia ramped up its barrage of rocket and drone attacks aft the U.S. paused subject assistance and quality sharing aft Trump suggested helium didn’t judge Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was "serious" astir peace. 

The comments came pursuing an Oval Office blow-up erstwhile Zelenskyy refused to motion a mineral woody without information guarantees from the U.S. 

Vice President JD Vance accused the Ukrainian president of being "disrespectful."

But pursuing the palmy talks with Ukraine successful Jeddah this week, the U.S. instantly lifted its assistance and quality pause. 

"Ukraine is committed to moving rapidly toward peace, and we are prepared to bash our portion successful creating each of the conditions for a reliable, durable, and decent peace," Zelenskyy said successful a station connected X Thursday. "I convey our teams for the information that subject assistance and quality sharing resumed.

"Ukraine was acceptable for an aerial and oversea ceasefire, but the U.S. projected extending it to land. Ukraine welcomes this proposal," helium added.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks during a property league astatine the Ukraine bid acme successful Obbürgen, Switzerland, connected June 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani)

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Zelenskyy said Putin’s frankincense acold soundlessness connected the ceasefire connection "once again demonstrates that Russia seeks to prolong the warfare and postpone bid for arsenic agelong arsenic possible." 

"We anticipation that U.S. unit volition beryllium capable to compel Russia to extremity the war," helium added.