Putin sets out conditions for Ukraine ceasefire

Moscow [Russia], March 14: Russian President Vladimir Putin said he agreed with the idea of a ceasefire in Ukraine, but that "questions" remained about the nature of a truce as he set out a number of tough conditions.
The Russian president was responding to a plan for a 30-day ceasefire, which Ukraine agreed to earlier this week after talks with the US.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described Putin's response to the plan as "manipulative" and called for more sanctions on Russia.
Meanwhile, the US placed further sanctions on Russian oil, gas and banking sectors.
Speaking at a news conference in Moscow on Thursday, Putin said of the ceasefire proposal: "The idea is right - and we support it - but there are questions that we need to discuss."
A ceasefire should lead to "an enduring peace and remove the root causes of this crisis", Putin said.
"We need to negotiate with our American colleagues and partners," he said. "Maybe I'll have a call with Donald Trump."
Putin added: "It will be good for the Ukrainian side to achieve a 30-day ceasefire.
"We are in favour of it, but there are nuances."
One of the areas of contention is Russia's Kursk region, Putin said, where Ukraine launched a military incursion last year and captured some territory.
He claimed Russia was fully back in control of Kursk, and said Ukrainian troops there "have been isolated".
"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."
Outlining some of his questions over how a ceasefire would work, Putin asked: "How will those 30 days be used? For Ukraine to mobilise? Rearm? Train people? Or none of that? Then a question - how will that be controlled?"
"Who will give the order to end the fighting? At what cost? Who decides who has broken any possible ceasefire, over 2,000km? All those questions need meticulous work from both sides. Who polices it?"
Putin "doesn't say no directly", Zelensky said in his nightly video address, but "in practice, he's preparing a rejection".
"Putin, of course, is afraid to tell President Trump directly that he wants to continue this war, wants to kill Ukrainians."
The Russian leader had set so many pre-conditions "that nothing will work out at all", Zelensky said.
After Putin's remarks and Zelensky's response, there is now a clear divide between both sides' positions.
Ukraine wants a two-stage process: a quick ceasefire and then talks about a longer-term settlement.
Russia believes you cannot separate the two processes and all the issues should be decided in a single deal. Both sides seem content to argue their differences.
Source: Fijian Broadcasting Cooperation