Ceasefire for Ukraine

Putin wants to give answers today – and provokes

Putin appeared in uniform in the Kursk region.

(Bild: AP/Kreml)

Two days after the US proposal for a ceasefire in Ukraine, the Kremlin has cryptically announced that it wants to make a statement. President Vladimir Putin will face the press on Thursday. Only one thing seems clear: Ukrainian prisoners are to be treated as "terrorists", the Kremlin leader declared in a martial appearance.

According to state news agency Tass, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Putin would answer questions on Thursday after talks with Belarusian ruler Alexander Lukashenko. "Everything will depend on what the reporters will ask," Putin's mouthpiece said when asked about the content.

According to insiders, Russia has already presented the USA with a list of conditions for an end to the war in Ukraine. However, the exact content is not known, according to the two people familiar with the matter. The demands are rather broad and similar to those already expressed in the past. These include Ukraine not becoming a NATO member, no foreign troops being stationed in Ukraine and Ukraine making territorial concessions to Russia.

Moscow reacted cautiously
No comment was initially available from the Russian embassy in Washington or the US presidential office. Russia had initially reacted coolly to the agreement between Washington and Kiev on a ceasefire in Ukraine. US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that US negotiators were already on their way to Russia for talks. Speaking about Russian President Putin, US President Donald Trump said: "I hope he will enter into a ceasefire."

"If the answer is 'yes', we will know that we have made real progress and there is a real chance for peace," said US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. However, if the Russians reject the offer for a ceasefire, "that would be highly regrettable and would make their intentions clear". According to Rubio, European sanctions will also play a role in possible negotiations with Russia on peace in Ukraine. For peace in Ukraine, there would have to be a decision by the Europeans on "what they will do with these sanctions and so on". The frozen Russian assets would also play a role.

Kremlin chief provokes in uniform
According to the Kremlin, Putin is currently still in the Russian region of Kursk, where his troops are pushing back the Ukrainian advance. While in uniform, he announced that prisoners of war would be treated as "terrorists". Where exactly the pictures were taken remains unclear. Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov declared that the Ukrainian units in Kursk were surrounded and that Kiev's plans had failed. The Ukrainian army leadership hinted at a partial withdrawal. Experts are already interpreting the martial appearance as a rejection of the offered ceasefire.

Ukraine calls for further pressure on Russia
Despite its willingness to agree to a ceasefire in the war with Russia, Ukraine called for further pressure from its allies on Moscow. "We must move towards peace. We must create security guarantees. We must free our people," said President Volodymyr Zelensky in his evening video address on Wednesday.

"The most important thing is the ability of our partners to ensure that Russia is ready not to deceive, but to actually end the war." Selensky had previously said that he expected a "strong" reaction from the USA if Russia rejected the ceasefire.

The Kremlin had recently stated that it would not agree to a ceasefire as it would give Kiev time to rearm. If Russia continues to reject a ceasefire, it expects Washington to impose new "sanctions" against Moscow.

Meanwhile, a group of five important European NATO states is working on military security guarantees for Ukraine, including a possible deployment of troops, in order to secure a peace agreement with Russia. However, following talks in Paris on Wednesday evening, the defense ministers from France, Germany, Italy, Poland and the UK have not yet provided any details on the concrete form and strength of such a peacekeeping force.