2023-12-25 03:51:00
PrintShare
They are waging war in Ukraine: Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov. (Archive photo) © IMAGO / ZUMA Wire
Russian President Vladimir Putin is said to be secretly interested in a ceasefire, according to senior officials.
Moscow – Vladimir Putin appears to be signaling Russia’s willingness to negotiate through intermediaries, while he continues to take radical positions on the war in public. This is reported by, among others New York Times. However, experts doubt the seriousness of the possible offer.
Despite his extreme rhetoric, Russian leader Vladimir Putin may be ready for a ceasefire. Reports from former senior Russian officials and international experts reveal that Putin has been signaling through intermediaries since September that he would be open to a ceasefire. The possible ceasefire is intended to freeze the fighting at its current level.
In fact, according to American officials, Putin had already put out feelers for a ceasefire agreement a year earlier, in the fall of 2022. The quiet overture, which has not previously been reported, came after Ukraine routed the Russian army in the northeast of the country.
Ukraine war: possible deal is in the room
The insider reports paint a picture of Putin that is clearly different from his aggressive public speeches. The middlemen are trying to minimize risks and keep options open in a war that will last longer than expected. “He is really willing to stick with the current positions,” one of the Russian officials told the New York Times. However, he added: “He is not prepared to step back one meter.”
Since September at the latest, Western officials have again noticed signals that Putin is interested in a ceasefire in the Ukraine war. Unofficial Russian emissaries spoke with interlocutors about the outlines of a possible deal that the Russian president would accept, American experts said.
Ukraine War: The Origins of the Conflict with Russia
View photo series
Dinner in Washington: “Secret negotiations” on the Ukraine war?
There is still no indication as to whether Ukraine would accept a possible agreement with Russia. Ukraine recently demanded the return of all territories conquered by Moscow and the payment of compensation. President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday that he saw no signs that Russia wanted to negotiate. “We simply see a brazen willingness to kill,” the Ukrainian president added.
Reports of potential “secret negotiations” in Washington emerged yesterday. An envoy of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is said to have been present at these discussions at a dinner. In addition to a three-course meal, the plan also included discussions about a possible end to the war. Among the invited US guests was Samuel Charap, leading political scientist at the non-profit and non-partisan RAND Corporation. (Maximilian Kurz)
1703479452
#Uturn #Ukraine #war #Putin #interest #ceasefire