Putin rejects Ukraine ceasefire proposal, says 'root causes' must be addressed

Russia's President Vladimir Putin has questioned the 30-day ceasefire proposed by the U.S. and set out multiple conditions that have to be met before Russia agrees to it.

According to The Guardian, Putin said while he agreed in principle to halting the conflict, he wants to address its "root causes".

Earlier on Mar. 11, 2025, Ukraine said it accepted the ceasefire proposal.

The ceasefire is, however, subject to "acceptance and concurrent implementation by the Russian Federation".

U.S. president Donald Trump, in turn, expressed his hope that Vladimir Putin will "reciprocate".

Putin questions how Ukraine will utilise the 30-day ceasefire

Speaking at a press conference at the Kremlin, Putin said the "idea" of the ceasefire is correct and that Russia supports it.

However, he then asked:

"How will these 30 days of [ceasefire] be used? To continue forced mobilisation in Ukraine? To supply weapons to Ukraine? … These are legitimate questions."

Putin also suggested that Ukraine should neither rearm nor mobilise and that western military aid to Kyiv be halted during the 30-day ceasefire.

He added that Ukraine was seeking a ceasefire as Russian forces were "advancing almost everywhere".

Putin also claimed that Russia had fully regained control of its Kursk region, where Ukraine launched a surprise incursion in 2024, according to the BBC.

He was quoted as saying, "They are trying to leave, but we are in control. Their equipment has been abandoned. There are two options for Ukrainians in Kursk - surrender or die."

Zelensky: Nothing will work with so many pre-conditions

In response to Putin's remarks, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Putin "doesn't say no directly", but is preparing to a rejection "in practice".

Zelenskyy noted that Putin had set so many pre-conditions that "nothing will work at all".

He added, "Putin, of course, is afraid to tell President Trump directly that he wants to continue this war, wants to kill Ukrainians."

Trump: I would love to meet Putin

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump said in response to Putin's remarks that he would "love" to meet Russia's President and expressed his hope that Russia would do the right thing and agree to the ceasefire.

He said:

"We've been discussing with Ukraine land and pieces of land that would be kept and lost, and all of the other elements of a final agreement.

A lot of the details of a final agreement have actually been discussed."

His administration has also placed more restrictions on Russia's oil, gas and banking sectors, according to CBS News. 

The U.S. Treasury Department allowed an 60-day exemption put in place by the administration of former U.S. President Joe Biden to lapse.

This exemption pertained to allowing specific energy transactions by sanctioned Russian banks to continue.

The lapse of the exemption means the Russian banks can no longer use U.S. payment systems to conduct major energy transactions.

In another development, Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff has landed in Moscow and met Putin behind closed doors.

Top image via Sky News/YouTube