Putin proposed a cessation of hostilities — will the front line be frozen?

Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed halting hostilities in Ukraine along the current front line. This was reported by Financial Times, citing three sources.

According to the sources, at a meeting in St. Petersburg in early April, Putin told Steve Witkoff, a special envoy of Donald Trump, that Moscow might be willing to give up claims to some Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories currently controlled by Kyiv.

Following this meeting, the U.S. began discussing peaceful solutions to the conflict. Proposals included recognizing Crimea as Russian territory and acknowledging Moscow’s de facto control over parts of four Ukrainian regions occupied by Russia.

This is reportedly the first official indication that Putin may be willing to scale back maximalist demands made since the start of the war.

However, some European officials remain skeptical. They believe Putin may be trying to push Trump into accepting broader Russian demands.

“There is intense pressure on Kyiv to give up some positions — all to allow Trump to claim victory,” said one FT source.

RIA Novosti asked Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov to comment on the Financial Times article. He responded:

“There is a flood of fake news right now, even from reputable publications. Only primary sources should be trusted.”

On April 23, negotiations between the U.S., Ukraine, and European allies are set to take place in London. According to The Washington Post, the U.S. may propose freezing the front line and recognizing Crimea as Russian territory.

In response, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reaffirmed that Ukraine will never legally recognize the annexation of Crimea:

“This is our territory, the land of the Ukrainian people,” he said.

What do you think - is freezing the front lines the right solution to stop the war? If a deal is reached through Trump, will it be a real peace or a temporary political maneuver? Read 'Zamin' on Telegram!