Russian President Vladimir Putin has privately indicated that he is open to a ceasefire in Ukraine. The New York Times reported Saturday, despite vowing not to withdraw from the conflict that has been going on since early last year.
According to the report, more than 10,000 civilians have been killed and more than 18,500 injured since the war began. united nationsin addition to tens of thousands of troops.
The newspaper cited two former Russian officials close to the Kremlin as well as other U.S. and international officials who have indicated that Putin has been open to halting fighting at the current border since at least September. It was reported that
This is a far cry from Putin’s clear goal of overtaking Ukraine. Russia invaded neighboring Ukraine on February 24, 2022, and quickly took control of large swathes of the country. However, Ukrainian forces fought back fiercely and succeeded in forcing Russia to withdraw from the northern region. From October 2022 onwards, the front lines will be remained almost the sameRussia holds parts of southern and eastern Ukraine.
According to the paper, Putin also “sent tentacles” last fall to try to reach a cease-fire, saying he was satisfied with the captured territory. But sources cited by the Times also warned that this could be an attempt at “misdirection” or that Putin could change his mind if the military regains momentum. It is also unclear whether Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy will accept the deal, as Russia still holds parts of the country.
The Russian military was exhausted by early 2023, as professional soldiers were replaced by conscripts and prisoners of war who could not resist the Ukrainian army. Only a small portion of the Russian population supported the war effort, and President Putin faced an embarrassing revolt from mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin.
However, Ukraine has not been able to regain lost territory. It faces wavering support in the West and is competing for international attention with the Gaza war.
Zelensky has been lobbying U.S. leaders to finalize additional aid for the country, including a visit to Washington last week to meet with Congressional leaders and President Joe Biden.
Biden called for $60 billion for Ukraine, $14 billion for Israel, $10 billion for humanitarian aid and $14 billion for the U.S. border. The policy has stalled in Congress as the Republican caucus remains divided over whether to continue supporting Ukraine’s fight against Russia.
The Biden administration has warned that without additional funding approved by Congress, funding for the Ukraine war will soon run out. Republicans refused to vote on the request for additional funding unless there were significant changes to asylum and border policies.
Bipartisan negotiations have been going on for weeks in the Senate, including White House officials and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. The Senate hopes to reach an agreement and vote on it when Congress reconvenes early next year.
