By signalling its flexibility to a stalemate, Ukraine has handed the Kremlin a tough challenge at a time when the Russian government has the upper hand in the battle: If Moscow take a truce and abandon hopes of making new gains, or should it reject the offer and risk derailing a careful rapprochement with Washington?
President Putin has consistently ruled out a momentary break in warfare, saying it would only gain Ukraine and its European allies by letting them recharge their stockpiles. He has insisted Moscow wants a complete agreement that would guarantee a lasting lawsuit.
The Kremlin responded slowly to the announcement of Ukraine accepting the US-proposed peace during Tuesday’s speaks in Saudi Arabia, saying that it needs to know particulars of the debate before expressing its perspective.
The cautious approach reflects Putin’s knowledge of the risk that a sarcastic rejection of the offer was disturbed tentative efforts to normalise Russia-US relationship.
Observers say that instead of an outright rejection, Putin will likely propose linking the truce to certain conditions that would protect Moscow’s interests. The Russian military held the battlefield initiative last year, making slow but steady gains along several sections of the 1, 000km frontline.
The US, meanwhile, res tarted supplies after Ukraine agreed to the truce proposal at talks in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. Secretary of state Marco Rubio said the United States was now seeking Moscow’s full agreement to the proposal, without attaching any of its own demands. ” That’s what we want to know — if they’re prepared to do it unconditionally”, Rubio said.
President Donald Trump said he hopes Putin will agree to the US proposal. ” I hope he’s going to have a ceasefire”, Trump told reporters at the White House.
Earlier, Russian news agencies reported that the heads of the CIA and Russia’s SVR foreign intelligence agency had held their first phone call in several years.
