Kremlin says Putin ‘cautiously optimistic’ on deal, needs to talk to Trump

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he agrees with idea of a ceasefire, but has tough conditions for one. Photo /Getty Images

• Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Vladimir Putin stands “in solidarity” with Donald Trump on a ceasefire proposal.
• Putin set tough conditions for the ceasefire, complicating the possibility of an agreement with Ukraine.
• US national security adviser Michael Waltz indicated Ukraine might lose significant territory in any peace deal.

Hours after US President Donald Trump’s Russia envoy, Steve Witkoff, flew out of Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov portrayed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s position as standing “in solidarity” with Trump, although the Russian leader had cast serious doubt on a US 30-day ceasefire proposal to halt fighting in the Ukraine war.

Peskov said Putin spelled out Moscow’s position to Witkoff, who left yesterday, on the ceasefire proposed by the United States and agreed to by Ukraine. Peskov said he expects a phone call between Trump and Putin in the near future.

“The Russian side was provided with additional information. And also through Witkoff, Putin gave information and additional signals to President Trump,” Peskov said during his daily media conference call. “Certainly, there are reasons to feel this cautious optimism.” He added, however, that “a great deal” remains to be done.

In public comments, Putin told a news conference that he agreed with the idea of a ceasefire, but he immediately spelled out tough conditions in line with his previous strong opposition to one, a position that appeared to rule out agreement unless Trump offers Putin new concessions.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin says “painstaking research” is needed before he could agree to any ceasefire. Photo / AFP

The conditions complicate the possibility of reaching a ceasefire since they would probably be unacceptable to Ukraine, indicating a tough path ahead towards a peace deal that Trump wants to seal quickly.

Trump earlier called Putin’s comments promising but “incomplete”, after Putin told the news conference that he had many complex questions about a ceasefire and that “painstaking research” was needed before he could agree.

Peskov said the timing of a phone call between Trump and Putin was not yet decided and would be set after Witkoff conveyed Putin’s position to Trump.

“Both sides understand that this conversation is needed,” he said.

Senior Kremlin officials, meanwhile, have continued to press Russia’s maximalist demands, including that Ukraine be stripped of its large army as part of a peace deal, a position unacceptable to Ukraine and Europe.

A recent survey conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology found that, of the various options for security guarantees in a future deal, Ukrainians most prefer enhanced military assistance.

“The majority of Ukrainians oppose ‘peace at any cost’,” said institute director Anton Grushetskyi. “While Ukrainians are open to negotiations and painful compromises, there are clear red lines, and they will reject unacceptable options.”

Trump administration officials earlier publicly conceded key points to Moscow, even before consulting Kyiv, including that Ukraine would be pressed to give up much of its occupied territory and to accept its exclusion from Nato.

In comments Thursday on Fox News, US national security adviser Michael Waltz, who is on Trump’s negotiating team alongside Witkoff and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, agreed that in any peace deal, Ukraine would lose significant amounts of territory that Russia occupies and claims to have annexed, notably in the eastern Donbas region.

Waltz appeared to endorse host Sean Hannity’s false contention that Russian-speakers in eastern Ukraine are “people from Russia”, a Kremlin narrative it has repeatedly used to justify its invasion of Ukraine and its attempts to establish a sphere of influence in neighbouring countries.

“You’re not wrong in any of that,” Waltz said. “And what’s important is that we’re discussing all of those things with both sides. We are having those discussions with our counterparts with the Russians. We’re having those discussions with our counterparts with the Ukrainians.” Waltz added that US negotiators are “pushing both sides together”.

In case a ceasefire is reached, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said during a joint appearance Friday with his Austrian counterpart that he was forming a team to help monitor peace on the front lines.

“This is an extremely complex process,” he said. “Let me remind you that the frontline today, with daily battles, stretches over 1300km.”