PUTIN: I WILL AGREE TRUCE BUT ONLY ON MY TERMS

VLADIMIR Putin has appeared to agree to a short-term ceasefire with Ukraine - but only on his terms.

- Giles Sheldrick

The Russian leader, who ordered the 2022 invasion, yesterday said he was broadly in favour of a US-led plan for a 30-day truce before adding: "There are nuances."

He said: "We agree with the proposals to cease hostilities. But our position is based on the assumption the ceasefire will lead to a long-term peace and would eliminate the root causes of this crisis."

Putin has previously ruled out a temporary ceasefire without a guarantee that Ukraine is banned from joining NATO. He also repeated that he would not return seized territory.

Putin took his defiant stance as he met his ally, Belarus leader Alexander Lukashenko, in Moscow.

Earlier his senior aide Yuri Ushakov rejected plans for a halt in hostilities, dismissing the idea as a chance for Ukrainian forces to regroup.

The Russian president hedged his response with cryptic queries, including: "Who will give orders to cease hostilities, and what will these orders be worth?"