The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, has proposed establishing a humanitarian ceasefire in the town of Kostantínovka, in the Donetsk region, taking as a reference the previous experience considered successful in Oleshki. The proposal has been put on the table during a meeting held this Thursday in Moscow with representatives of the Government of the United States.
Putin specified that between 400 and 500 civilians continue to live in Kostantínovka. "We had a good experience of humanitarian cooperation in the town of Oleshki (...) I propose that we do the same," he said to the U.S. special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
The Russian leader assured that Moscow is willing to take on its part of the necessary guarantees. "We will guarantee security on our side. We need five days to remove the mines from the access routes to that city," he said, while also demanding that the other party ensure protection as well, insisting that the city is under the control of Russian forces.
The meeting with Witkoff and Kushner falls within the Kremlin’s efforts to keep open a negotiation channel on the war in Ukraine, just one day after both sides agreed to a new prisoner exchange in the latest round of talks held in the United Arab Emirates. "We would also like it to be an eternal peace," Putin stressed.
However, the head of the Kremlin emphasized that the "demarcation line" coincides with "the state border" and admitted that the territorial issue continues to be the main obstacle. "As soon as we begin to address the issue of the 'grey zones', they are understood differently. Immediately disputes begin and there is instability in any agreement. And there will be no lasting peace," he said.
The proposal on Kostantínovka replicates the scheme previously promoted by the American first lady, Melania Trump, for Oleshki, in the province of Jérson, an area strewn with mines and without regular supplies since the end of May this year.
"I would like to ask you to convey my gratitude to Mrs. Trump, the first lady of the United States, for her active participation in resolving the humanitarian problem surrounding the city of Oleshki," Putin said at the start of the meeting with the American representatives.
Misgivings in Kiev about the Russian initiative
On the Ukrainian side, Dimitro Litvin, adviser to President Volodimir Zelenski, has expressed reservations about the Kremlin’s true motivations, suggesting that the truce could be used to reorganize Russian troops, as they already suspect happened in Oleshki.
"Well, taking into account that they rotated military personnel in Oleshki under the cover of a humanitarian operation, it is clear what they intend in Kostantínovka," Litvin said in statements to Ukrainian media, although he has admitted that they still need to "find out all the details."
Kiev and Moscow agreed to a three-day ceasefire last October 30 to allow a humanitarian operation in Oleshki —occupied by Russia since 2022—, during which several dozen tons of aid were distributed and the departure of civilians was organized both to Ukraine and to Russia.
Unlike Oleshki, Kostantínovka is one of the key points of the eastern front in Ukraine. Although Moscow claims it controls the city —much of which has been reduced to rubble—, it continues to be subjected to intense direct siege by its own Russian forces.
The differences on the ground between Oleshki and Kostantínovka could make it difficult to apply the same truce model, since in the latter a massive evacuation had been carried out earlier and the line of combat remains active. In this context, a pause could be interpreted by both sides as an opportunity to resupply and reinforce positions and arsenals.
Full control of Kostantínovka would open up to Russia a direct corridor to Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, the last major strongholds that Ukraine maintains in Donetsk province, which is in large part already occupied by Russian forces.