Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed gratitude to US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as well as various other leaders, for addressing the Ukraine conflict—in his initial remarks on Washington’s proposal for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine.
“First of all, I would like to start with words of gratitude to the president of the United States, Mr Trump, for paying so much attention to the Ukraine settlement. All of us have lots on our plates, but many state leaders, the Chairman of the People’s Republic of China, the Prime Minister of India, president of Brazil and South African Republic. They devote a lot of time to this issue, and we are thankful to them because it’s all for the noble cause of stopping hostilities and preventing human casualties,” he said.
The remarks follow the United States urging Russia to accept the ceasefire proposal unconditionally. Regarding the suggested ceasefire, Vladimir Putin stated that he was “in favor” of it but noted that “there are nuances” and he had “significant concerns” about its implementation.
He said, “We agree with the proposals to cease hostilities but proceed from the assumption that this cessation should lead to long-term peace and eliminate the root causes of this crisis.”
In response to this, Donald Trump stated that Vladimir Putin’s remark was “promising” yet “not complete”.
“He put out a very promising statement but it wasn’t complete,” the US President said.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described Vladimir Putin as “predictable” and “manipulative,” alleging that his Russian counterpart is getting ready to dismiss the notion of a front-line silence.
