**Russia Agrees to Ceasefire in Ukraine, Demands Guarantees**
Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed to a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine proposed by the US. However, he wants guarantees that Ukraine will not mobilize or train troops during this time and will not receive any military aid.
Putin made his comments on March 13 at a press conference with Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko. He said that the end of hostilities should “address the original causes of the crisis.” This is in line with the Kremlin‘s narrative about its war against Ukraine.
**Ukraine Welcomes Ceasefire, But Criticizes Russia**
President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the ceasefire proposal but criticized Russia for not making a meaningful response to it. He said that Ukraine has received the first tranche of $1.7 billion in aid from Canada under the G7‘s Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration initiative.
**Russian and Ukrainian Officials Trade Accusations**
Russian presidential aide Nikolai Patrushev accused Western countries, particularly the UK, of provoking instability in the region. Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials have accused Russian forces of killing unarmed soldiers who were captured by them.
**European Court Finds Ukraine Liable for 2014 Clashes**
The European Court of Human Rights ruled on March 13 that the Ukrainian government failed to prevent and investigate deadly clashes between pro- and anti-government groups in Odesa in May 2014.
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