I am not a Russian speaker, but my friend, Andrei Martyanov is. I called Andrei today, after Putin’s press conference with President Lukashenko, to get his reaction to Putin’s remarks about the deal the US and Ukraine announced in Riyadh. Andrei pointed out the following comment by Putin:
Russian President Vladimir Putin said he agrees in principle with the US proposal for a temporary cease-fire with Ukraine, but added that “there are nuances,” such as Western weapons deliveries to Kyiv, that he wants addressed first.
“We are for [a cease-fire], but there are nuances,” Putin added during a March 13 press conference in Moscow with Belarusian leader Aleksandr Lukashenko.
According to Andrei, Putin’s use of the phrase, there are nuances, is a cultural term connected to a crass joke. I asked Perplexity.AI to explain:
A soldier named Garry asks the general for the definition of “nuance.” The general tells him to take down his pants and bend over. The general proceeds to insert himself into the soldier’s anus and then explains that what the soldier feels compared to what the general feels is nuance.
The humor in this joke lies in the subtle wordplay and implied actions. In Russian, the phrase “There is a nuance” (“Есть нюанс”) can also be understood as a command, “Eat a nuance!” when pronounced quickly. The general’s response to Garry’s question about the definition of nuance is to demonstrate it rather than explain it verbally, creating a humorous and somewhat crude situation.
This joke is an example of how Russian humor often relies on wordplay, double entendres, and sometimes crude or sexual innuendos. It’s important to note that understanding such jokes often requires not just knowledge of the Russian language, but also familiarity with Russian cultural context and humor styles.
Got it? Putin was politely telling Trump’s team of negotiators that they could shove the proposed ceasefire deal in Riyadh up their ass. Russia is not going to be bullied or threatened. Putin carefully explained his terms for obtaining a ceasefire in June 2024. I have written about this repeatedly, but will repeat it again:
Russia must be allowed to keep all the land it currently occupies in Ukraine.
Ukraine must hand over all the provinces that Russia claims but does not fully control, including all of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts.
Ukraine must officially end its plans to join NATO and become a neutral country.
Ukraine must never seek to develop nuclear weapons.
The rights of Russian-speakers in Ukraine must be respected.
Sanctions against Russia must be lifted to ensure peace.
Putin insists that this proposal was not about freezing the conflict, but about its final resolution. He also stated that if Ukraine and its allies rejected these terms, it would be their political and moral responsibility for continuing the bloodshed. Yuri Ushakov, Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s foreign policy advisor, repeated this stance today:
Moscow does not want a temporary truce with Ukraine but is instead interested in a long-term settlement.
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has been more explicit in recent days:
Lavrov expressed opposition to the ceasefire proposal on Tuesday, before its official announcement.
He stated that Moscow will avoid compromises that would jeopardize people’s lives in the context of a possible Ukraine peace deal.
Lavrov reiterated Russia’s stance that it will under no conditions accept the presence of NATO troops in Ukraine, should there be a permanent peace settlement.
He criticized Europe’s push for deploying peacekeepers in Ukraine, calling it an “obsession” designed to escalate tensions.
Lavrov accused the UK and EU of attempting to pressure the Trump administration into taking a more aggressive stance against Russia.
He warned that any NATO troop presence in Ukraine, regardless of its capacity, represents a direct threat to Russia.
Lavrov also mentioned that in previous instances when agreements were reached and ceasefires announced, the Ukrainians had allegedly deceived Russia with support from their allies.
The day before Putin’s press conference with Lukashenko, Putin sent a clear message to the West. He traveled to Russia’s military headquarters in Kursk, where Russian troops have inflicted a devastating defeat on Ukrainian forces, dressed in military garb. He was not doing a fashion show. He directed General Gerasimov and his commanders to drive all Ukrainian forces from Kursk asap. This came on the heels of Ukraine launching a massive drone strike on Russian territory on Tuesday, which failed to hit military targets but killed three civilians.
While President Putin is serious about restoring normal relations with the United States, he is not going to accept a deal that does not address the underlying cause of this war — NATO expansion and Western exploitation of Ukraine as a military proxy to attack Russia. If Donald Trump is hoping for a quick deal to end the war in Ukraine, he is going to be disappointed. Russia terms are clear. Let’s call it, “a nuanced position.”
