Vladimir Putin It would willing to stop the war in Ukraine with a negotiated ceasefire that recognizes the current front linesaccording to four Russian sources cited by the Reuters agency, who nevertheless warn that the Russian president is also prepared to continue the fighting if Kyiv and the West do not respond.

Three of these sources, close to the discussions in Putin’s closest circle, also indicate that the president has expressed his frustration to a small group of advisors about what he sees as Western-backed attempts to hinder negotiations and the decision of the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyto discard those conversations.

“Putin can fight as long as it takesbut also is ready for a ceasefire, to stop the war“, indicated one of the sources, who, always according to the aforementioned agency, is someone who has worked with Putin, familiar with high-level conversations in the Kremlin.

Reuters has spoken to up to five sources who They have worked with Putin at a high level in the political and business spheres and all of them have asked to remain anonymous. A fifth source, the agency specifies, has not made any statements about the possibility of stopping the war on the current front lines.

The Kremlin does not officially confirm it

For his part, the spokesman for the Russian Presidency, Dmitri Peskovhas limited itself to indicating that the Russian president has reiterated on several occasions that Russia is open to dialogue to achieve its objectives and that the country does not want “an eternal war”. The Ukrainian authorities, in turn, have not commented.

Putin, recently re-elected for a fifth termrecently replaced his defense minister, Sergei Shoigubut sources consulted by Reuters have indicated that the president would prefer to use Russia’s current push to leave the war behind and they have not referred to the new head of Defense, Andrei Belousov.

Two of these sources indicate that Putin believes that His achievements in the war so far are enough to sell a victory to the Russian population. Three of the sources further indicate that he is aware that to achieve significant new advances a nationwide mobilization would be necessary, something you don’t want. One of them remembers in this sense that its popularity fell after the first mobilization in September 2022.