Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin said he supported the proposed 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine but raised concerns about its details, calling for further discussion with the United States to clarify how the plan works.

Putin made his first comment on the plan, which Ukraine agreed to during talks with the United States on Tuesday, calling him a “proposed ceasefire” but “with nuances” and that he had “serious problems” about how it works.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned Putin’s remarks “very manipulative” and in his night speech, Putin was “actually preparing to reject” the proposal, but was “fearing to say directly to U.S. President Donald Trump that he wants to continue the war”.

The United States calls on Russia to agree to a ceasefire without any conditions, but Putin raised many objections, saying: “I think we need to talk to our American colleagues…maybe call with President Trump and discuss that with him.”

Putin said a ceasefire was the “right idea”, but the moment of setbacks in Russia’s rapid occupation of territory would benefit Ukraine. He also questioned how to monitor the ceasefire along the front lines of thousands of kilometers.

Trump said Putin’s statement was “promising” but “incomplete”.

“A lot of the details of the final agreement have actually been discussed. Now, we will see if Russia is there, and if not, it will be a very disappointing moment for the world.”

“I would love to meet him or talk to him. But we have to get over it quickly.”

After visiting a military headquarters in the Kursk region on Wednesday, the Russian president praised his troops for their progress towards Ukraine, saying they were “advanced in almost every region” on the frontline.

“Based on how the situation on the ground develops, we will agree to the next step in ending the conflict and reaching an agreement that is acceptable to all,” he said.

When Trump pushed for more than three years to end quickly, his envoy, Steve Witkoff, arrived in Moscow on Thursday to discuss the plan.

Russian news agency reported that Yuri Ushakov, the Kremlin’s top aide, said that Vikov will meet with Putin when the president “signs”.

Russia has been grinding on the battlefield for more than a year and claimed on Thursday that it would deport Ukrainian troops from the town of Sudzha in Russia’s Kursk region.

Trump expressed optimism that despite the progress made in Moscow’s battlefield, his team could still ensure a ceasefire.

“Long-term peace”

“We agree to the proposal to stop hostilities, but based on the fact that the cessation will lead to long-term peace and resolve the root causes of the crisis,” Putin said on Thursday.

Russia has ruled out accepting foreign peacekeepers in Ukraine, part of a ceasefire or long-term security guarantee.

Once the conflict ends to prevent future Russian attacks, Ukraine has filed a breach of the demands of European allies to deploy military “task forces” on its territory.

“For us, it is absolutely unacceptable that military forces in other states are stationed in Ukraine under any flag,” said Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, in a briefing.

“Whether it’s a foreign contingent or a military base… it all means direct armed conflict between these countries and our country.”

Fight for Kursk

Meanwhile, Russia claims rapid progress in the Kursk region – Kiev launched a cross-border attack last August and has been on territory since then.

The Russian Defense Ministry said it “liberated” Sudzha together with two other settlements in the border area.

Before the battle, Sudzha was the site of about 5,000 people, the largest settlement after Kyiv launched a shocking attack on Russia.

The Kursk region is one of the few trademark bargaining chips Kiev has in exchange for land with Russia. Since occupying Crimea in 2014, the Kursk region has occupied one-fifth of Ukraine and launched a full-scale attack in February 2022.

According to military bloggers, Ukraine now has the possibility of completely losing control of the border areas after cedes dozens of kilometers (miles) in the past week.

In Ukraine, the military government of the Sumi region said on Facebook on Thursday that it ordered the evacuation of eight villages near the border with Kursk as it “intensified the operation of the region” and “continuous bombardment from Russia”.

Moscow’s rapid development in the region comes after the United States suspended intelligence sharing and security support for Ukraine, although analysts and officials warned against direct contact.

Washington said it had restored support for Kiev before its talks with Moscow.