International-News

Putin opens to truce but unresolved issues remain. Zelensky accuses: ‘We are waiting for an answer from the US’

Russian president favours ceasefire, but Kremlin holds back. Kiev awaits answers from the US and relaunches the rare earths agreement

Russian President Vladimir Putin is reportedly in favour of a ceasefire agreement with Ukraine, but ‘an immense number of outstanding issues remain unanswered’. This was stated by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, confirming Moscow’s interest in a ceasefire but without commenting on the actual feasibility of the agreement.

On the other hand, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky pointed the finger at Washington, complaining about the lack of response after Kiev’s openness to the US proposal. ‘Ukraine has accepted the US proposal for a complete and unconditional ceasefire. Putin refuses. We are waiting for the US to respond, so far there has been no response,’ he said in his evening speech.

Meanwhile, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) pointed out that the Russian military advance on the ground has gradually slowed down. According to the data, the pace of conquests has dropped from 627 square kilometres recorded in November 2024, to 203 in March 2025. The British Ministry of Defence also confirms this trend: in March, Moscow reportedly gained 143 square kilometres, compared to 730 in November, 393 in December, 326 in January and 195 in February.

On the diplomatic and economic level, Kiev is intensifying its dialogue with Washington. Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko announced on X that a Ukrainian delegation will be in the United States this week to discuss a strategic agreement on critical natural resources, particularly rare earths. The goal, she explained, is to ‘build a strong and transparent partnership’ involving the ministries of economy, foreign affairs, justice, and finance, aligning the two countries on projects, legal frameworks, and long-term investment mechanisms.

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