Russian President Vladimir Putin is prepared to pause the conflict in Ukraine through a ceasefire that would acknowledge the current battlefield demarcations, as disclosed by four Russian insiders to Reuters. These sources indicated Putin’s willingness to persist in combat if the proposals are disregarded by Kyiv and its Western allies.
According to three sources close to Putin’s advisory circle, the Russian leader has voiced his displeasure with perceived Western obstacles to negotiation efforts and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s refusal to engage in dialogue. One senior Russian figure, familiar with Kremlin discussions, expressed that while Putin is poised to continue the battle indefinitely, he is equally ready to instate a ceasefire and “freeze the war,” emphasizing the confidentiality of the discussions due to their sensitive nature.
This report involves insights from five individuals who have worked closely with Putin in high-level governmental and business roles. Of these, the fifth source did not provide comments on the potential ceasefire along the current lines of engagement.
In a related statement, Putin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov reiterated Russia’s openness to dialogue to accomplish its objectives, clarifying that Russia does not seek a perpetual conflict. Neither Ukraine’s foreign nor defense ministries have issued responses regarding this matter.
Additionally, the recent appointment of economist Andrei Belousov as Russia’s defense minister is perceived by some in Western circles as a strategy to prepare the Russian economy for an extended conflict, following significant Russian military advancements in recent times. Despite these developments, insiders claim Putin, who was re-elected in March for another six-year term, prefers to leverage Russia’s recent successes to conclude the conflict favorably, without directly addressing the new defense minister’s role.
Reflecting on the discussions among Kremlin’s senior ranks, two sources conveyed Putin’s opinion that the territorial gains achieved thus far could be presented as a victory to the Russian populace. The ongoing war, marked as Europe’s most extensive ground conflict since World War Two, has resulted in extensive casualties on both sides and severe Western sanctions impacting Russia’s economy.
