Putin Declares Kursk Exempt From Any Ukraine Ceasefire Announcement… and Orders a Decisive Victory /  U.S. Acknowledges Hard-to-Intercept Yemeni Technologies as Critical Gaza Negotiations Unfold in Doha

 March 14, 2025

The political editor wrote

According to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s timeline, negotiations over a Ukraine ceasefire will remain on hold until Russian forces secure full control over the Kursk region and completely expel Ukrainian troops from Russian territory. Putin has signaled his willingness to accept an immediate ceasefire, provided that Kursk is excluded from its terms. Russia does not seek a temporary truce that merely paves the way for a more brutal round of conflict but rather a lasting, sustainable peace. This was the key message conveyed to U.S. envoy Steve Whitcoff in Moscow, where Russian officials raised questions about the post-ceasefire phase, emphasising the need to resolve fundamental peace agreement terms. Chief among these is the fate of Ukrainian territories that have been officially integrated into Russia. In this regard, a U.S.-Russian understanding appears to be forming around the necessity for Ukraine to accept that returning to pre-war borders is no longer feasible. Reports suggest that U.S. President Donald Trump has already discussed with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky the issue of territorial concessions to Russia, despite Zelensky publicly declaring his willingness to negotiate only within the framework of the Ukrainian constitution, which categorically prohibits ceding any land.

Meanwhile, in Doha, critical negotiations over Gaza are underway, with resistance leaders convening their factions to deliberate on the latest proposals. This suggests that significant decisions may be at hand, indicating the seriousness of the talks. Adding to this, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has instructed his negotiating team to remain in Doha and continue discussions, reversing earlier orders to return to Tel Aviv—another sign of the gravity of the negotiations. Talks currently center on a compromise formula involving partial amendments and continued negotiations toward ending the war and achieving a full withdrawal, in line with the original agreement signed between Netanyahu’s government and the resistance under the mediation and guarantees of international brokers, including the U.S. Notably, Trump recently denied any plans to expel Gaza’s residents from the Strip, questioning the origins of such claims, despite having previously championed the idea of displacing Gazans and preventing their return, while touting Gaza’s potential as a real estate investment project, envisioning it as the “Middle East’s Riviera”.

In Lebanon, following a cabinet meeting, Information Minister Paul Markos responded to calls for normalisation and political negotiations with the occupying entity, echoing U.S. and Israeli demands, by stating, “Negotiations with Israel remain indirect, and our stance remains firmly against normalisation”. Meanwhile, the government finalised military and security leadership appointments, naming Brigadier General Rudolph Heikal as Army Commander, Brigadier General Hassan Choucair as Director General of General Security, Brigadier General Raed Abdullah as Director General of Internal Security, and Brigadier General Edgar Loundos as Director General of State Security.