A draft ceasefire proposal, brokered by the United States and endorsed by Ukraine, has brought a glimmer of hope to a three-year conflict that has seen relentless attrition. Despite the breakthrough, hostilities persisted with overnight drone attacks reported by officials from both Ukraine and Russia. In a significant move toward negotiations, Steve Witkoff met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Thursday. Putin, while expressing a need for further discussions with Washington, also suggested a potential call with former President Donald Trump.
On Friday, the Kremlin struck a cautious tone regarding the ceasefire proposal. Dmitry Peskov, a spokesperson for the Kremlin, noted that while there are reasons to be optimistic about the development, concerns remain over its implementation and potential consequences.
"There are certainly reasons to be cautiously optimistic," Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
Putin has voiced apprehensions that a temporary truce might allow Kyiv's forces time to "supply weapons" or "train newly mobilized units." He also questioned how the proposed ceasefire would be enforced effectively. These concerns cast a shadow over the otherwise hopeful prospects of the ceasefire.
The proposal, which resets relations in the U.S.-Russia-Ukraine triangle, is viewed as a crucial step toward ending the ongoing conflict. Donald Trump, who has prioritized ending the Russia-Ukraine war since taking office, expressed solidarity with the ceasefire efforts but acknowledged the challenges ahead.
Despite the developments on Thursday, Russia maintained a sedate tone on Friday. The Kremlin remained cautious, reflecting Putin's unease about potential exploitation of a truce by Ukrainian forces. The ceasefire proposal has stirred debates among analysts and political observers regarding its implications for the region.
The Institute for the Study of War has been critical of Putin's intentions, suggesting that he might be leveraging the ceasefire proposal to extract concessions before entering formal negotiations.
"Putin is holding the ceasefire proposal hostage and is attempting to extract preemptive concessions ahead of formal negotiations to end the war," stated the Institute for the Study of War.
The institute also pointed out that Putin's envisioned ceasefire could disproportionately favor Russia, potentially setting conditions for renewed hostilities under terms favorable to the Kremlin.
"Putin's envisioned ceasefire would grant Russia greatly disproportionate advantages and set conditions for the Kremlin to renew hostilities on terms extremely favorable to Russia," asserted the Institute for the Study of War.
Donald Trump emphasized the importance of Russia's engagement in the peace process, warning of global disappointment should Russia fail to participate constructively.
"Now we're going to see whether or not Russia is there, and if they're not, it'll be a very disappointing moment for the world," remarked Donald Trump.