The Russian president is buying time before a ceasefire deal is struck. Will his big opportunity slip away?
Faced with the proposal of a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine, Vladimir Putin is doing what he does best: creative dithering. By saying that he is broadly in favour but “there are nuances” which need “painstaking research on both sides”, he is in effect delaying having to accept or reject the proposal. He may be hoping to buy time to get the best deal, but the fear in Moscow is that he will lose the opportunity altogether.
It’s also spring, so if the ground thaws and drains quickly, he can launch another offensive and only “get serious” about a ceasefire next fall.