Russian President Vladimir Putin has shown willingness to negotiate a temporary truce with Ukraine, as long as some conditions are fulfilled, Bloomberg quoted sources close to the talks as saying, following a meeting between Russian and US representatives in Saudi Arabia.
In these negotiations, Russian representatives were approached with former US President Donald Trump’s proposal for a ceasefire. Russia has indicated readiness to end the three-year war but demands an evident framework for a definitive peace deal in advance of accepting a temporary ceasefire, according to sources speaking with Bloomberg.
Russia’s Conditions for a Ceasefire
Major concerns of Russia are determining the composition of the peacekeeping mission and specifying what nations would take part. Russian authorities have been consistently saying they will not have any place for NATO soldiers on Ukrainian territory. That position prompted Moscow to turn down an offer of European states to create a “coalition of the willing” to run peacekeeping operations.
Instead, it has placed more faith in nations such as China, which has taken a neutral stand in the war. Moscow reportedly feels more at ease with China sending troops to handle the situation.
Future US-Ukraine Talks
While negotiations with Russia are ongoing, a US and Ukraine meeting also takes place next week in Saudi Arabia. The two nations hold their first formal discussion since President Donald Trump clashed with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky over a public rift.
US envoy Steve Witkoff stressed the meeting is a bid to bring “a framework for a peace agreement and a first ceasefire. Since taking office for his second term, President Trump’s strategy on the Russia-Ukraine conflict has been drastically different from earlier US diplomatic policies. His tense relationship with Ukraine has resulted in a freeze of military assistance and the withholding of intelligence sharing between the two countries.
European allies have expressed worry that such moves could spur Russian aggression, shifting the direction of the war.