Vladimir Putin says he’s on board with a 30-day ceasefire floated by the U.S., but don’t bet on a quick truce. Hours before meeting Trump envoy Steve Witkoff in Moscow on Thursday, he tied his approval to a steep price: a lasting peace that guts Ukraine’s independence and Western alignment—goals he’s chased since invading in 2022.
Buoyed by retaking Sudzha in Kursk, Putin touted Russia’s edge, claiming his forces are rolling forward across the 1,000km front. That’s an exaggeration—progress is spotty—but he’s not wrong about Kursk tilting his way. A ceasefire, he argued, risks Ukraine reloading while Russia’s on top. “Who ensures they won’t rearm?” he pressed, demanding a weapons freeze from the West and a neutered Ukrainian military. Russia scaling back? Not on the table.
With no clear way to enforce a truce—Western peacekeepers are a non-starter for now—Putin’s “nuances” feel like a wishlist Ukraine and its backers can’t stomach. He floated a call with Trump to hash it out, but his focus on battlefield momentum suggests he’s more interested in locking in gains than pausing the fight.