International

Putin gives conditions for Ukraine ceasefire

Published

11 months ago

March 14, 2025

Russian President Vladimir Putin

Putin gives conditions for Ukraine ceasefire

Russian President Vladimir Putin said he agreed with the idea of a ceasefire in Ukraine, but that “questions” remained about the nature of a truce as he set out a number of tough conditions.

The Russian president was responding to a plan for a 30-day ceasefire, which Ukraine agreed to earlier this week after talks with the US.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described Putin’s response to the plan as “manipulative” and called for more sanctions on Russia.

Meanwhile, the US placed further sanctions on Russian oil, gas and banking sectors.

Russian officials said Putin was expected to hold talks on the ceasefire on Thursday evening with US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff, who had flown to Moscow earlier that day.

It is not clear whether that meeting actually took place. On Friday, Russia’s state-run media quoted the air traffic monitoring website Flightradar as saying the plane believed to be carrying Witkoff had left Moscow.

Moscow and Washington have not commented on the issue.

Late on Thursday and overnight, both Russia and Ukraine reported new enemy drone attacks.

Ukraine said seven people – including children – were injured in the north-eastern city of Kharkiv.

Russia reported a large fire at an oil facility in the southern city of Tuapse.

Speaking at a news conference in Moscow on Thursday, Putin said of the ceasefire proposal: “The idea is right – and we support it – but there are questions that we need to discuss.”

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A ceasefire should lead to “an enduring peace and remove the root causes of this crisis”, Putin said.

“We need to negotiate with our American colleagues and partners,” he said. “Maybe I’ll have a call with Donald Trump.”

Putin added: “It will be good for the Ukrainian side to achieve a 30-day ceasefire.

“We are in favour of it, but there are nuances.”

One of the areas of contention is Russia’s western Kursk region, Putin said, where Ukraine launched a military incursion last August and captured some territory.

He claimed Russia was fully back in control of Kursk, and said Ukrainian troops there “have been isolated”.

“They are trying to leave, but we are in control. Their equipment has been abandoned.”

“There are two options for Ukrainians in Kursk – surrender or die.”

On Wednesday, Ukraine’s top commander Oleksandr Syrskyi said Ukrainian troops would hold defensive positions in the Kursk region “as long as it is expedient and necessary” despite “increased” pressure from Russian forces.

At Thursday’s press conference, Putin also outlined some of his questions over how a ceasefire would work. He asked: “How will those 30 days be used? For Ukraine to mobilise? Rearm? Train people? Or none of that? Then a question – how will that be controlled?”

“Who will give the order to end the fighting? At what cost? Who decides who has broken any possible ceasefire, over 2,000km? All those questions need meticulous work from both sides. Who polices it?”

Putin “doesn’t say no directly”, Zelensky said in his nightly video address, but “in practice, he’s preparing a rejection”.

“Putin, of course, is afraid to tell President Trump directly that he wants to continue this war, wants to kill Ukrainians.”

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The Russian leader had set so many pre-conditions “that nothing will work out at all”, Zelensky said.

After Putin’s remarks and Zelensky’s response, there is now a clear divide between both sides’ positions.

Ukraine wants a two-stage process: a quick ceasefire and then talks about a longer-term settlement.

Russia believes you cannot separate the two processes and all the issues should be decided in a single deal. Both sides seem content to argue their differences.

Ukraine believes it can put pressure on Russia, painting it as a reluctant peacemaker, playing for time. Russia, equally, believes it has a chance now to raise its fundamental concerns, about Nato expansion and Ukraine’s sovereignty.

But this presents a problem for Donald Trump. He has made it clear he wants a quick result, ending the fighting in days.

And right now, Putin does not appear to want to play ball.

Speaking at the White House following Putin’s remarks, Trump said he would “love” to meet the Russian leader and that he hoped Russia would “do the right thing” and agree to the proposed 30-day truce.

“We’d like to see a ceasefire from Russia,” he said.

Speaking earlier at a meeting in the Oval Office with Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte, Trump told reporters he had already discussed specifics with Ukraine.

“We’ve been discussing with Ukraine land and pieces of land that would be kept and lost, and all of the other elements of a final agreement,” Trump said.

“A lot of the details of a final agreement have actually been discussed.”

On the subject of Ukraine joining the Nato military alliance, Trump said “everybody knows what the answer to that is”.

The fresh sanctions on Russian oil and gas came as the Trump administration further restricted access to US payment systems, making it harder for other countries to buy Russian oil.

Earlier in the day, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov rejected the ceasefire proposal put forward by the US.

On Wednesday, the Kremlin released a video it said showed Putin visiting Russia’s Kursk region, symbolically dressed in military fatigues. Russia later said it recaptured the key town of Sudzha.

Russia launched a full-scale invasion in February 2022, and now controls about 20% of Ukrainian territory.

More than 95,000 people fighting for Russia’s military have been killed in the war, according to data analysed so far and confirmed by the BBC. The actual death toll is believed to be much higher.

Russia’s military has not publicly revealed its battlefield casualties since September 2022, when it said 5,937 soldiers had been killed.

Ukraine last updated its casualty figures in December 2024, when Zelensky acknowledged 43,000 Ukrainian deaths among soldiers and officers. Western analysts believe this figure to be underestimated.

Putin gives conditions for Ukraine ceasefire

BBC

International

Trump Halts Minnesota Immigration Crackdown After Fatal Shootings, Protests

Published

4 hours ago

February 12, 2026

Trends Admin

U.S President Donald Trump

Trump Halts Minnesota Immigration Crackdown After Fatal Shootings, Protests

The Trump administration has officially halted Operation Metro Surge, a controversial immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota, following widespread protests, political backlash, and the deaths of two U.S. citizens. The decision was announced by Tom Homan, the U.S. “border czar,” who confirmed that President Donald Trump approved ending the monthslong crackdown.

Operation Metro Surge, launched in December 2025, focused on the Minneapolis–St. Paul metropolitan area, deploying nearly 3,000 federal immigration officers at its peak. The operation aimed to detain undocumented immigrants, which the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) described as targeting “criminal illegal aliens.” However, reports indicate that many detainees had no criminal records, including children and U.S. citizens, raising concerns about the operation’s scope and fairness.

The crackdown drew intense public opposition after anti-ICE protesters Renée Good and Alex Pretti were fatally shot during separate incidents in Minneapolis. The shootings intensified calls for accountability and prompted local and national criticism of federal enforcement tactics.

In a statement, Homan said, “I have proposed and President Trump has concurred that this surge operation conclude.” He noted that a drawdown of federal personnel had already begun, with a smaller contingent remaining temporarily to transition operations and coordinate with local authorities.

During the operation, DHS reported over 4,000 arrests, though critics highlighted the disproportionate impact on communities and families, emphasizing the humanitarian and civil liberties concerns arising from the surge.

Minnesota officials, including Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, welcomed the decision, calling the operation an overreach that harmed communities and strained trust between law enforcement and residents. Civil rights groups also praised the halt but urged comprehensive immigration reforms to prevent future abuses.

The end of Operation Metro Surge marks a significant development in the national debate over immigration enforcement, sanctuary policies, and federal authority, highlighting the challenge of balancing border security with human rights and community safety.

Trump Halts Minnesota Immigration Crackdown After Fatal Shootings, Protests

International

Russia Escalates Digital Control with Attempted WhatsApp Block

Published

14 hours ago

February 12, 2026

Trends Admin

Russia Escalates Digital Control with Attempted WhatsApp Block

WhatsApp has accused the Russian government of trying to completely block its messaging service in the country, a move aimed at steering users toward the state-backed app MAX. The Meta-owned platform said the effort, reported on February 12, 2026, threatens over 100 million users and undermines private, encrypted communication in Russia.

In a statement, WhatsApp said: “Today the Russian government attempted to fully block WhatsApp in an effort to drive people to a state-owned surveillance app. Trying to isolate over 100 million users from private and secure communication … can only lead to less safety for people in Russia. We continue to do everything we can to keep users connected.”

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The attempt is part of a broader crackdown on foreign tech platforms in Russia. Authorities have previously restricted access to Facebook, Instagram, and targeted other services like Telegram. Reports indicate that Roskomnadzor, Russia’s communications regulator, removed WhatsApp from its national internet directory, forcing users to rely on VPNs to access the platform. Critics warn that such measures are designed to expand state surveillance and control over digital communication.

The government is actively promoting MAX, a domestic “super-app” similar to China’s WeChat, which combines messaging with other services. Rights advocates caution that the push toward MAX could compromise privacy protections that platforms like WhatsApp provide. Meanwhile, Kremlin officials have indicated that WhatsApp and other restricted apps could be restored if Meta complies with local data storage and regulatory laws.

WhatsApp’s statement emphasizes that the company will continue to work to keep its service accessible where possible, but the attempted block highlights Russia’s ongoing effort to enforce digital sovereignty and shift users toward state-controlled technology platforms.

Russia Escalates Digital Control with Attempted WhatsApp Block

International

Tumbler Ridge Massacre: Canada Investigates Shooter’s Mental Health, Police History

Published

14 hours ago

February 12, 2026

Trends Admin

Tumbler Ridge Massacre: Canada Investigates Shooter’s Mental Health, Police History

Canadian authorities are intensifying investigations into the mental health history and prior police interactions of Jesse Van Rootselaar, the 18-year-old who carried out a deadly mass shooting in the remote mining town of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, on February 10, 2026. The tragedy has left the small community in mourning and raised national questions about gun control, mental health support, and law enforcement interventions.

According to RCMP Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald, authorities are still unclear on the motive behind the attack, which is one of the deadliest school shootings in Canadian history. Van Rootselaar, a transgender woman who had dropped out of Tumbler Ridge Secondary School four years ago, first killed her mother and stepbrother before opening fire at the school, where she shot six more victims. The shooter later took her own life at the scene.

Investigators have confirmed that Van Rootselaar was known to police and had previous interactions with the public health system due to mental health concerns. Authorities are reviewing prior incidents, including earlier firearms seizures and her lapsed gun licence, to understand how warning signs were addressed before the massacre. British Columbia Premier David Eby said officials are working with the health system to determine “what interactions may have taken place” in the past.

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The victims include a 39-year-old female teacher and five students aged 12 and 13, with one child, 12-year-old Maya Gebala, in critical condition after trying to lock herself and classmates in a library during the attack. First responders arrived within minutes, but the scale of the violence left the tight-knit community of about 2,700 residents reeling. Hundreds gathered for a candlelight vigil to honour those killed and injured.

Prime Minister Mark Carney addressed parliament, describing Tumbler Ridge as a resilient, compassionate community of miners, teachers, and construction workers, and emphasised the need to learn from the tragedy. Flags across Canada have been lowered to half-staff for seven days in remembrance of the victims. Britain’s King Charles and Queen Camilla also expressed shock and sorrow over the massacre.

Schools in the area will remain closed for the remainder of the week as authorities continue their investigation into Van Rootselaar’s mental health background, police interactions, and access to firearms, seeking to understand how similar tragedies can be prevented in the future.