March 13, 2025
Russia may be pushing the United States to renegotiate the ceasefire agreement with Ukraine, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported on March 12.
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin may “hold hostage” the 30-day ceasefire proposal agreed to by Kyiv in order to obtain preventive concessions before formal negotiations to end the war begin.
Senior Russian sources have indicated that Putin might stretch the terms of the deal to ensure that his conditions and Russia’s advances on the battlefield are “taken into account” and Moscow’s “concerns” are addressed.
Moscow’s ‘peace’ playbook: Stall talks, divide West, crush Ukraine
The Kremlin could demand a halt to weapons deliveries to Ukraine as a condition for agreeing to the temporary ceasefire, though it remains unclear whether this would apply to all international arms supplies or just aid from certain countries.
A suspension of U.S. or other military aid to Ukraine would greatly benefit Russia, which continues to receive aid from Iran, North Korea, and China, and weaken Washington’s leverage by violating the terms agreed to by Ukraine.
The Kremlin is expected to “formally” give a “positive response” to the temporary ceasefire proposal, but will also demand “impossible conditions” that Kyiv cannot agree to.
Putin wants to sideline Ukraine in order to negotiate directly with the U.S. and “correct the situation on the front” to strengthen Russia’s negotiating position.
The terms of the temporary ceasefire “must suit Russia” and that Russia’s agreement to a temporary ceasefire during which Ukraine continues to receive weapons and funding from its partners and allies is “stupid.”
These leaks may be intentional as part of a negotiating strategy to push Washington to revise the ceasefire deal with Kyiv.
On March 11, top Ukrainian officials, including Presidential Administration Head Andrii Yermak, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, and Economy Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko met for more than eight hours in Jeddah with U.S. national security adviser Mike Waltz, Special Envoy for the Middle East Steven Witkoff, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The U.S. and Ukraine “took important steps toward restoring durable peace for Ukraine,” the parties said in a joint statement after the meeting.
“Ukraine expressed readiness to accept the U.S. proposal to enact an immediate, interim 30-day ceasefire, which can be extended by mutual agreement of the parties, and which is subject to acceptance and concurrent implementation by the Russian Federation.”
Putler doesn’t look very confident in those images of him playing soldier. He looks quite worried to me.