March 13, 2025 (EIRNS)—Meeting the press today together with visiting Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko, Russian President Vladimir Putin answered questions about the ceasefire plan presented by the U.S. and Ukraine, agreeing with the idea in principle but detailing specific issues which must be addressed if it is to work. “We are also in favour of it, but there are nuances,” Putin remarked.
He said that “The idea itself is right,” but emphasized the need for further discussions: “I think we must talk them over with our American colleagues and partners, perhaps have a telephone conversation with President Trump and discuss them with him.” Russia will determine the next steps to resolve the conflict in Ukraine “based on how the situation on the ground evolves.”
Putin began his response to a question from the press about the ceasefire plan with the following highly-significant statement: “As for Ukraine’s readiness for a ceasefire, I will tell you how I view it, of course. But I would like to start by thanking the President of the United States, Mr. Trump, for paying so much attention to the Ukraine settlement. We all have enough of our own domestic affairs to attend to. But many leaders of states, among them the President of the People’s Republic of China, the Prime Minister of India, the Presidents of Brazil and the Republic of South Africa are addressing this issue and give it a lot of their time.”
Observers were quick to note that the four countries mentioned by Putin, in addition to the United States, were the original founders of the BRICS along with Russia. Putin continued:
“We are grateful to all of them for that, because this activity is aimed at achieving a noble mission—the mission of ending hostilities and loss of life. This is my first point. Second. 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. Second. 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…. We also want guarantees that during the 30-day ceasefire, Ukraine will not conduct mobilization, will not train soldiers, and will not receive weapons.”
Putin continued: “Now, on Ukraine’s readiness to cease the hostilities. You know, on the face of it, the U.S.-Ukraine meeting in Saudi Arabia may look like the Ukrainian side made this decision under pressure from the United States. In fact, I am absolutely convinced that the Ukrainian side would have asked the Americans for this decision most emphatically, in view of the situation evolving on the ground, as has just been mentioned here.”
