Russian President Vladimir Putin said during his Thursday news conference that he has “reservations” about a 30-day ceasefire proposal in the Ukraine war, saying it’s not clear how the situation would develop in the region of Kursk and elsewhere if a ceasefire was implemented.

Putin lauded the US idea as “great and correct” and said Russia supports it in theory, but there are many things that still need to be discussed before a deal is agreed to.

Putin went on to raise many questions about a potential ceasefire, including how it would be verified. He also said the ceasefire must “be aimed at a long-lasting peace and it must look at the root causes of the crisis.”

|CNN

It’s not the first time Putin has urged eliminating what he calls the “root causes” of the war, and the Kremlin has previously claimed the current Ukrainian government is part of the root cause.

He also said “maybe” he would call US President Donald Trump. But Putin and Trump are not expected to speak to each other on Thursday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told CNN.

War in key region: Russian forces have recaptured Sudzha, the largest town that Ukraine once occupied in the Kursk region, according to Moscow, threatening Kyiv’s sole territorial bargaining chip amid pressure to negotiate an end to the war.

Meeting with Lukashenko: Putin and Belarus’ leader Alexander Lukashenko met in Moscow today as well. Lukashenko said the United States “doesn’t have a plan” for Ukraine and is currently “testing the waters” with its ceasefire proposal.

Lukashenko, Putin’s closest international ally, said there was no rush to reach an agreement, adding there were still “so many fences and rubbish in all of this.”

“I simply advise you: Don’t fall for Donald’s tricks,” he added, referring to Trump.