March 14 (UPI) -- President Vladimir Putin of Russia said he agrees in essence to a 30-day U.S.-backed cease-fire in his war in Ukraine, while voicing concerns over what he described as "nuances" as he seeks concessions from Kyiv.
In a joint press conference Thursday in Moscow alongside ally President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus, Putin projected confidence as the United States, under President Donald Trump, pushes to secure a speedy halt to the three-year-old war.
This comes as Russia has seemingly made gains on the ground. It occupies 20% of Ukrainian territory, including Crimea, which it illegally annexed in 2014. With the aid of thousands of North Korean troops, the Kremlin has also been successfully repelling a Ukrainian incursion into Russia's Kursk region.
He told reporters Thursday that they "agree with the proposal for a cessation of hostilities, but we proceed from the fact that this cessation should be one that would lead to a long-term peace and eliminate the original causes of this crisis."
"We are for it, but there are nuances," Putin said.
Russia began the war on Feb. 24, 2022, with its full-scale invasion under the false pretext of denazifying and demilitarizing Ukraine. Putin has repeatedly and falsely tried to frame Ukraine as the instigator and has often said that a long-term peace needs to address what he sees as the origins of the conflict.
The policy research organization The Institute for the Study of War described Putin's comments as "offering of an alternative cease-fire agreement contrary to the intentions and goals" of the proposal the United States and Ukraine agreed to on Tuesday.
The U.S.-Ukraine agreement is reportedly includes a 30-day renewable cessation to combat operations on the frontlines, air and sea in order to set the table for peace talks.
Steve Witkoff, Trump's special envoy for the Middle East, was to meet with Putin to discuss the cease-fire on Thursday night, according to Russian state-run news.
The Institute of the Study of War said conditions for a cease-fire Putin suggested in the press conference "would grant Russia greatly disproportionate advantages and set conditions for the Kremlin to renew hostilities on terms extremely favorable to Russia."
During the press conference, Putin voiced concern that Ukraine would use the 30-day ceasefire to reinforce its military, suggesting that an agreement should prohibit Kyiv from rearming its forces, training troops and receiving weaponry from allies such as United States and Europe.
However, The Institute of the Study of War said Putin did not mention that Russia would be held to the same conditions.
"Russian forces are currently on the offensive across the theater, as Putin observed, so demands that would prevent Ukrainian forces from reconstituting can only be intended to preserve or enhance Russia's ability to resume the offensive at a later date," it said. "Such demands would seem a clear indication that Putin is not, in fact, committed to making peace."
President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine described Putin's remarks as "highly predictable and manipulative," showing that the Russian leader is preparing to reject the U.S.-Ukraine agreement.
"Of course, Putin is afraid to tell President Trump directly that he wants to continue this war and keep killing Ukrainians. That's why, in Moscow, they are surrounding the cease-fire idea with such preconditions that it either fails or gets dragged out for as long as possible," the Ukrainian leader said in a statement.
"We are not setting conditions that complicate the process -- Russia is. As we have always said, the only one stalling, the only one being unconstructive, is Russia. They need this war. Putin has stolen years of peace and continues this war day after day."
Putin, in his press conference, added that he might call Trump to discuss his issues with the American president.
Asked Thursday if he had plans to speak with Putin about the cease-fire, Trump replied, "Yeah, I'd love to meet with him or talk to them, but we have to get it over with fast."