Putin doesn’t seem truly interested in a truce in Ukraine

Brussels – Few expected Vladimir Putin to agree to stop hostilities in Ukraine quickly. Despite ongoing talks with the United States, there is little willingness by the Russian side to reach a real truce any time soon, nor to respect the (partial)( one agreed on with Donald Trump last night — as can be seen by the attacks Moscow swiftly ordered on the former Soviet republic, as well as the conditions put forward by the occupant of the Kremlin to accept a halt to the fighting, unacceptable for Kyiv.

Following a script that has become familiar to the world, Vladimir Putin again kicks the ball into the stands without admitting it publicly. He had done so before meeting with the White House envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff (who, despite his title, is also leading the negotiations on the war in Ukraine), stalling by placing a series of onerous conditions on the form a ceasefire should take to be acceptable to Moscow.

He did it again last night when he spoke on the phone with Donald Trump for the second time in two months. Officially, as stated in the Kremlin statement after the talks, the Russian leader reportedly agreed with his US counterpart to a 30-day truce in bombings against energy and civilian infrastructure between the two belligerent countries.

Putin says he is ready to “work with his American partners on a thorough examination of possible solutions, which should be comprehensive, sustainable, and long-term.” And, of course, taking into account the “unconditional need to eliminate the root causes of the crisis and Russia’s legitimate security interests.”

However, the Russian note mentions, among other things, a condition deemed “fundamental” by the Federation “to prevent the escalation of the conflict and work toward its resolution” diplomatically: “The complete cessation of foreign military assistance and the provision of intelligence information” to Kyiv: a point that, according to statements made by Trump was not addressed during the call.

More importantly, this is an unacceptable condition for both Ukraine and its European allies, who just these days renewed (at least some) a commitment to support the former Soviet republic with new shipments of funds, weapons, and ammunition. Putin also reportedly pointed out “the need to stop the forced mobilization in Ukraine and the rearmament of the Ukrainian armed forces.” The request came as Russian troops were advancing at various points on the frontline, from the Donbas to the oblast’ of Kursk, and one that seems designed on purpose to be rejected by Kyiv.

Further testifying to the lack of credibility of Moscow’s commitments, shortly after the end of the phone call between the two presidents, drone strikes on Ukraine resumed, even though (according to the Kremlin communiqué) Putin had given orders to stop bombing against infrastructure immediately.

Volodymyr Zelensky, visiting Helsinki, denounced the night attack carried out by 150 drones as proof that Putin does not truly want a truce: his words are “very different from reality,” he said at a press conference alongside Finnish President Alexander Stubb.

He said he would hear from Trump later today to discuss the meeting scheduled for Sunday in Jeddah (the very place where the Kyiv and Washington delegations had drafted the proposal for a comprehensive ceasefire, trashed by Moscow) between the Russia and US negotiating teams, where they should discuss the next steps of the truce starting with the extension of the ceasefire to operations in the Black Sea.

At the time of writing, there has been no word yet on the prisoner exchange announced yesterday, which should involve 175 Russian soldiers and as many Ukrainians, plus 23 seriously wounded Kyiv soldiers being treated in Federation clinics.