Ukraine’s leader speaks out as Trump hails ‘productive’ talks with Putin on 30-day ceasefire proposal
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of deliberately prolonging ceasefire negotiations in order to continue military aggression. His remarks come as G7 foreign ministers urged Russia to accept the peace proposal without conditions.
In a statement posted on X on Friday, Zelensky denounced Russia for “deliberately setting conditions that only complicate and drag out the process.” He reiterated that a swift return of prisoners and an “unconditional” 30-day ceasefire were the two immediate steps that could advance Ukraine towards “a just and lasting peace.”
Meanwhile, former US President Donald Trump claimed the US had “very good and productive” discussions with Putin regarding a potential ceasefire. Trump asserted there was now “a very good chance that this horrible, bloody war can finally come to an end.”
Ceasefire proposal gains momentum
Earlier this week, Kyiv endorsed Washington’s 30-day ceasefire proposal, which was later presented to Putin directly by White House envoy Steve Witkoff during a Thursday meeting in Moscow. While Putin publicly acknowledged the idea as “correct” and voiced general support, he simultaneously raised concerns about specific aspects of the US-brokered proposal, indicating the Kremlin would require certain concessions before fully committing.
The Russian president met with US special envoy Witkoff for late-night discussions, following which the Kremlin announced that Putin had sent a message to Trump about the ceasefire initiative. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that there were grounds for “cautious optimism” but noted that significant hurdles remained.
Following a meeting of G7 foreign ministers, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy declared that allies were united in demanding a ceasefire with “no conditions” to halt the conflict.
Mr Lammy stated, “There is a unified approach that we need an enduring peace that lasts. There is unity that now is the time for a ceasefire with no conditions.” He emphasised that Ukraine had already laid out its position and that the onus was now on Russia to agree.
The G7 ministers reaffirmed their commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, called on Russia to accept “a ceasefire on equal terms,” and condemned North Korea, Iran, and China for providing military support to Moscow.
Ukraine denies claims of troops being ‘surrounded’ in Kursk
As ceasefire discussions continued, Trump made a dramatic appeal on Friday, urging Putin to spare the lives of Ukrainian troops whom he claimed were “completely surrounded” by Russian forces in the Kursk region.
Posting on his Truth Social platform, Trump warned of a potential “massacre” on a scale “not seen since World War II.” He wrote, “We had very good and productive discussions with President Vladimir Putin of Russia yesterday, and there is a very good chance that this horrible, bloody war can finally come to an end — BUT, AT THIS VERY MOMENT, THOUSANDS OF UKRAINIAN TROOPS ARE COMPLETELY SURROUNDED BY THE RUSSIAN MILITARY, AND IN A VERY BAD AND VULNERABLE POSITION. I have strongly requested President Putin to spare their lives.”
The Kremlin responded that Russian forces would guarantee the safety of Ukrainian soldiers and treat them “with dignity in line with international law” if they surrendered.
However, Ukraine’s military dismissed Trump’s claim, insisting that there was no risk of its forces being encircled in Kursk. A statement from the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces read, “Since the beginning of the current day, 13 combat clashes have taken place in the Kursk direction. There is no threat of encirclement of our units.”
Tensions over ceasefire terms
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov suggested that Putin had sent “signals” to Trump via Witkoff and received updates on US perspectives regarding Ukraine. “There are certainly reasons to be cautiously optimistic,” Peskov remarked, adding that Putin had expressed “solidarity” with Trump’s efforts while outlining “questions that need to be answered together.”
Responding to the ceasefire initiative, Putin stated on Thursday, “The idea itself is correct, and we certainly support it.” However, at a Moscow press conference, he added, “There are issues that we need to discuss, and I think that we need to discuss it with our American colleagues and partners.”
Russian officials have accused Ukraine of supporting the ceasefire proposal merely to allow its forces to regroup and rearm. The Kremlin maintains that any ceasefire must contribute to lasting peace and address what it sees as the “root causes of the crisis.”
In his nightly address from Kyiv, Zelensky dismissed these claims, arguing that Putin was too “afraid” to tell Trump outright that he intended to prolong the war. “That’s why, in Moscow, they are surrounding the ceasefire idea with such preconditions that it either fails or gets dragged out for as long as possible,” he said.
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G7 push for immediate ceasefire
Meanwhile, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy reiterated that the G7 remained firm in calling for a ceasefire with “no conditions” to stop the violence in Ukraine. Speaking after discussions in Canada, he said there would soon be a “detailed statement” from G7 nations outlining a unified stance.
“I think that there is a unified approach that we need an enduring peace that lasts, I think that there is unity that now is the time for a ceasefire with no conditions,” Lammy said. “Ukraine has set out its position. It is now for Russia to accept it.”
Additionally, reports suggest that US officials are considering territorial compromises in negotiations. Speaking on Fox News, US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz hinted at the possibility of the Donbas region being ceded to Russia as part of a broader peace agreement.
In 2022, Moscow illegally annexed Donetsk and Luhansk, which together form the Donbas region, although Russian forces do not yet have full control of the territory.
When questioned about the possibility of formally ceding Donbas to Russia, Waltz responded, “You’re not wrong in any of that. What’s important is we are discussing those things with both sides.”
As diplomatic manoeuvres continue, the fate of Ukraine remains uncertain. With Putin hesitant to accept an immediate ceasefire and Ukraine insisting on unconditional terms, the world watches closely to see whether peace talks will lead to tangible results or become another prolonged negotiation with no resolution in sight.
