Putin agrees with proposed 30-day ceasefire plan; Zelenskyy calls response deceptive

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has cast doubt on his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin's latest remarks about supporting the U.S.-proposed ceasefire.

Our Choi Soo-young explains starting with Mr. Putin's words.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said he agreed in principle with the U.S.' proposed 30-day Ukraine ceasefire plan, but further terms and details need to be worked out.

"We agree with the proposals to stop hostilities, but we proceed from the fact that this ceasefire should be such that it would lead to long-term peace and eliminate the original roots of this crisis."

On Thursday, at a news conference in Moscow, he said the idea was correct and he supported it, but he needs to discuss it with U.S. President Donald Trump, referring to him as "our American partner."

Putin added that Ukraine would need to accept future conditions before the ceasefire agreement could be reached.

He said that a decision should be made on how to handle isolated Ukrainian troops in the Kursk region, one of the areas of contention, which he claimed Russia had regained full control of.

He also stated that the ceasefire must be ensured, as Ukraine might use the period to secure more troops and supplies of weapons.

In response, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed that Putin is tactically preparing to reject the ceasefire deal.

Zelenskyy said Putin is the one who will make the situation worse.

"We have all just heard very predictable and highly manipulative words from Russia in response to the idea of a ceasefire on the front. We do not set conditions that complicate things; Russia does. Putin has stolen years of peace and continues this war day by day."

He criticized Putin's response as deceptive, stating that the Russian leader was effectively refusing to accept the ceasefire proposal but responded in this way because he was afraid to tell the U.S. that he wanted to continue the war.

Putin is expected to discuss the Ukraine conflict and ceasefire with U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff in Moscow.

Choi Soo-hyung, Arirang News.