Putin Supports US Proposals for A Ceasefire in Ukraine

President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Russia agreed with U.S. proposals for a ceasefire in Ukraine but that any ceasefire would have to deal with the root causes of the conflict and that many details needed to be sorted out.

We agree with the proposals to cease hostilities," Putin told reporters at a news conference in the Kremlin following talks with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.
"But we proceed from the fact that this cessation should be such that it would lead to long-term peace and would eliminate the original causes of this crisis."

Trump had said in the White House on Wednesday that he hoped the Kremlin would agree to the U.S. proposal for a 30-day ceasefire that Ukraine said it would support, to end what Trump called the "bloodbath".

Putin thanked Trump for his efforts to end the war.

Putin said he might call Trump to discuss the issue. "We support the idea of ending this conflict by peaceful means."