Ukraine ceasefire talks: Putin raises "serious questions"

Shafaq News/ On Friday, the Russian government announced that President Vladimir Putin delivered a message to US envoy Steve Witkoff for President Donald Trump regarding Washington’s proposed ceasefire in Ukraine.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that Putin expressed “cautious optimism” about the proposal, noting that once Witkoff relays all the details to Trump, the timing for a phone call between the Russian and American presidents will be determined.

For his part, President Donald Trump stated on Truth Social that his discussions with President Putin are “very good and productive.” In his post, Trump emphasized that there was a promising chance to end the conflict, but he warned that thousands of Ukrainian troops—currently surrounded by Russian forces—remain in a vulnerable position.

He also stated that he had strongly requested President Putin to spare the lives of these soldiers, warning of a potential humanitarian catastrophe if the ceasefire was not implemented.

Earlier this week, Ukraine agreed to an immediate and unconditional ceasefire under American pressure, on the condition that Russia also complies—a demand to which Moscow has yet to respond clearly. On Thursday, President Putin expressed reservations about Washington’s 30‑day ceasefire proposal, saying he had “serious questions” regarding the plan.

He confirmed his support for the idea of a ceasefire, but emphasized that “fine details” remain unresolved and require further discussion with American officials. In his remarks, Putin underlined the need for continued dialogue with US partners and suggested that a phone call with President Trump might be necessary to address these issues.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, however, dismissed the Russian statements as “manipulative” and accused Moscow of stalling. He argued that the absence of an official response from Russia indicates an effort to “prolong the conflict and delay peace.”