Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wasted no time in reacting to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s acceptance of a proposed 30-day ceasefire, calling it a “manipulative” move aimed at stalling rather than ending the war.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced Thursday that he is open to a U.S.-backed proposal for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine. However, his agreement came with a key stipulation—direct discussions with President Donald Trump.
It can be recalled that Russian President Vladimir Putin signaled to Washington in 2023 in public and privately through intermediaries that he was ready to open to a ceasefire in Ukraine. Putin’s proposal was to freeze the war along current lines, which includes territory gained by Russia.
Sources told Reuters that this approach from Putin offered what some Kremlin figures saw as the best hope for some form of peace. But Biden and his Regime rejected the proposal without countering, as one Russian source lamented.
Another Russian source explained that the Regime insisted on involving Ukraine in any discussion regarding a possible ceasefire. This immovable position caused the talks to collapse completely.
In 2024, Putin offered a peace proposal to Ukraine to permanently end the war in Ukraine and begin negotiations.
Putin told reporters:
Vladimir Putin: “Today, we’re making another real peaceful proposal, a proposal of peace. If they refuse once again in Kyiv, it is their business. It is their choice to continue this bloodshed. The reality on the ground will keep shifting and not in favor of the Kyiv regime, and the conditions for the talks will change as well. Let Let me emphasize that the gist of our proposal is not just a ceasefire or a temporary truth as the West wants it. They want to rearm the Kyiv regime. This is not about transforming this into a frozen conflict. We want to put an end to this conflict. Once again, I would like to say that as soon as Kyiv agrees to this turn of events, as we propose it today, as soon as they agree to withdraw the troops from the Porosha and Kherson regions and the People’s Republic, we are ready to launch these talks without any delay.
NATO immediately refused the proposed peace deal, not Zelensky. NATO Chief Jens Stoltenberg offered the official response — for the Ukrainian people.
Jens Stoltenberg: “This is not a peace proposal. This is a proposal for more aggression and more occupation. This is not a serious proposal.”
Speaking in Moscow Thursday, Putin made it clear that he supports the proposal in principle but emphasized the need for proper negotiations to ensure that any truce is more than a temporary band-aid.
“The idea itself is correct, and we certainly support it,” Putin said. “But there are issues that we need to discuss, and I think that we need to talk about it with our American colleagues and partners and, perhaps, have a call with President Trump and discuss it with him.”
Putin’s suggestion of speaking directly with Trump is a worst-case scenario for Zelensky and his Western backers. After all, Trump already brokered peace in the Middle East with the historic Abraham Accords, something the foreign policy establishment claimed was “impossible.”
If he were to step in and work out an agreement with Putin, the entire Ukraine war narrative would collapse overnight.
A Trump-mediated ceasefire would be a nightmare for the globalist elites who need this war to justify their endless spending and authoritarian control.
Within hours, the Ukrainian president released a highly defensive video on X, accusing Putin of “manipulation” and “stalling” while calling for harsher sanctions against Russia.
Zelensky said:
“Right now, we have all heard from Russia Putin’s highly predictable and manipulative words in response to the idea of a ceasefire on the front lines—at this moment he is, in fact, preparing to reject it.
Of course, Putin is afraid to tell President Trump directly that he wants to continue this war and keep killing Ukrainians. That’s why, in Moscow, they are surrounding the ceasefire idea with such preconditions that it either fails or gets dragged out for as long as possible. Putin does this often—he doesn’t say ‘no’ outright, but he drags things out and makes reasonable solutions impossible. We see this as yet another round of Russian manipulation.
There was a U.S. proposal for an unconditional ceasefire—in the air, at sea, and on the front lines. We in Ukraine accepted this proposal. We have heard from the American side that there is readiness to organize monitoring and verification. And this is absolutely feasible—with American and European capabilities.
And during the ceasefire, to prepare answers to all questions about long-term security and a real, lasting peace, and to put a plan to end the war on the table. Ukraine is ready to work as quickly and constructively as possible. We have discussed this with U.S. representatives, and our European partners, as well as all our allies worldwide, are aware of it.
We are not setting conditions that complicate the process—Russia is. As we have always said, the only one stalling, the only one being unconstructive, is Russia. They need this war. Putin has stolen years of peace and continues this war day after day.
Now is the time to increase pressure on him. Sanctions must be applied—ones that will work. We will continue working with our American and European partners and with everyone in the world who wants peace—to force Russia to end this war.”
WATCH:
Right now, we have all heard from Russia Putin’s highly predictable and manipulative words in response to the idea of a ceasefire on the front lines—at this moment he is, in fact, preparing to reject it.
Of course, Putin is afraid to tell President Trump directly that he wants… pic.twitter.com/SWbYwMGA46
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 13, 2025
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