Putin is ready to freeze the war in Ukraine – media

The publication writes that, bolstered by the unsuccessful counter-offensive of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and weakening Western support, Putin continues to insist that Russia’s military goals have not changed. The other day, in a conversation with his generals, he boasted that Ukraine now seems to be in such a state that Russian troops are doing “what they want.”

At the same time, since September, according to newspaper sources, the Kremlin has been sending signals through intermediaries that it is open to a cease-fire that would lead to a freeze in hostilities along the current line. in front, which is far from compatible with Vladimir. Putin’s ambitions to dominate Ukraine.

In fact, according to American officials, Putin tried to evaluate the possibility of concluding a ceasefire agreement last year, in the fall of 2022. The silent proposal, which has not been reported, came after the defeat of Ukraine is a Russian army in the northeast of the country. Putin has indicated he is happy with the territory Russia has seized and is ready for a truce, the officials said.

The newspaper says dozens of interviews with Russians who have known Putin for a long time and with international officials familiar with the Kremlin’s inner workings show that he is maneuvering to minimize risks and keep his interests open. option in an ongoing war that lasted longer than he did. expected

“They said: ‘We are ready to negotiate a ceasefire. They want to stay where they are on the battlefield,'” said a senior international official who met with Russian officials this fall.

The publication points out that there is currently no evidence that Ukrainian leaders can reach an agreement with Russia.

At the same time, American officials said that this may be an attempt by the Kremlin to deceive the world and does not reflect Putin’s true desire for compromise, especially if the Russian army is gaining momentum.

NYT interlocutors say that the Russian president now sees a favorable moment for an agreement due to a combination of factors: the conflict has reached a dead end, the unsuccessful counteroffensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the weakening of support from the West, as well as the war with Israel that is distracting Ukraine.

Let’s recall that in October 2022, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky signed a decree making it impossible to negotiate with Putin, but negotiations with Russia are possible.

In turn, the Kremlin complained about the “intransigence” of Ukraine, as well as the fact that no one contacted Moscow on the issues of the “Ukrainian settlement.”