Kremlin spokesman: Putin considers Trump ‘a wise man, a brave man'
In an exclusive interview with ABC News, Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov said Russian President Vladimir Putin needed to see "certain dynamics" on the battlefield before agreeing to an extended ceasefire, insisting arms deliveries from Ukraine's allies must stop before there can be a pause in hostilities.
"Otherwise, it will be advantage for Ukraine. Ukraine will continue their total mobilization, bringing new troops to front line. Ukraine will use this period to train new military personnel and to give a rest to their existing ones," Peskov told ABC News' Chief Global Affairs Correspondent and "This Week" co-anchor Martha Raddatz. "So why should we grant such an advantage to Ukraine?"
Peskov also asserted that Ukraine is "not ready for immediate negotiations," denying that Putin was the one dragging his feet.
"President Putin is doing whatever is possible to solve the problem, to achieve a settlement through peaceful and diplomatic means. But having no peaceful and democratic means at hand, we have to continue military operation," he said.
Peskov also told Raddatz the Kremlin was hoping that President Donald Trump would be able to help Moscow "bring a little bit more flexibility and a little more political will" to Kyiv's position.
Peskov's statements come as Ukraine and the Trump administration are pushing for a 30-day truce. Kyiv has been advocating a monthlong ceasefire for many weeks, while Trump voiced his support for the proposal on Thursday.
"U.S. calls for, ideally, a 30-day unconditional ceasefire. Hopefully, an acceptable ceasefire will be observed, and both Countries will be held accountable for respecting the sanctity of these direct negotiations," Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social.
The president also threatened to impose further sanctions if that ceasefire was not respected and vowed he would "stay committed to securing Peace between Russia and Ukraine" -- an apparent turnaround from his previous threats to abandon the peace process unless progress was made.
On Wednesday, Vice President JD Vance said during the Munich Leaders Meeting in Washington, D.C., that Russia is insisting on a "certain set of concessions in order to end the conflict" that the Trump administration believes is "asking for too much."
So far, Russia has only expressed support for much shorter truces -- declaring a unilateral three-day ceasefire that coincided with the country's commemoration of Victory Day, a celebration marking the 80th anniversary of the Allied forces' defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II.
Putin marked the holiday on Friday with a massive military parade through Moscow's Red Square, a display featuring 11,000 Russian troops, fighter jets, and tanks meant to showcase the modern power of the country's fighting forces.
During a public address, Putin praised members of the Russian military fighting in Ukraine, which he called a "special operation."
"We are proud of their courage and determination, their spiritual force that always has brought us victory," Putin said.
However, the festivities were clouded by fear in Moscow that Victory Day could become a target for Ukrainian drone attacks, a possible motivating factor behind Putin's three-day truce proposal.
Despite security concerns, the event drew the attendance of more than two dozen world leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, who sat next to Putin during the festivities. Troops from 13 foreign countries also participated in the parade, including China.
Although Russian state media reported earlier in the month that a high-level representative from the Trump administration would attend the celebrations, the United States was not represented. However, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said Trump and Putin "exchanged congratulations on the occasion of our common holiday."
In Raddatz's interview with Peskov, the Kremlin spokesperson lauded the relationship between the two leaders and said Putin has a lot of respect for Trump.
"He considers him a wise man, a brave man," Peskov said.
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