This week, Ukraine agrees to 30-day ceasefire with Russia, US officials visit Moscow for talks. After recent attacks, is there hope for South Thailand peace talks? US presents proposal for Israel-Gaza ceasefire extension.
Ukraine Agrees to 30-Day Ceasefire With Russia, US Officials Visit Moscow for Talks
Ukraine agreed to a 30-day ceasefire with Russia, following talks in Saudi Arabia on March 11. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned allies the next day to not let Russia “deceive” them, saying, “Because right now, Russian strikes have not stopped.”
In response to Ukraine agreeing to the ceasefire, the US has agreed to lift the pause on intelligence sharing, and resume security assistance to Ukraine. US envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Moscow on March 13 to discuss the ceasefire, and it remains to be seen what will come of the visit.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that the “ball is truly in their [Russia’s] court,” and that the US believes that peace negotiations are the only way to end the fighting. US President Donald Trump, despite having recent tensions with Zelensky, has now warned Russia that he will put additional sanctions on the country if it doesn’t accept the ceasefire.
Meanwhile, Russia has laid out demands for talks with the US and Ukraine. These demands include, Reuters reported, no NATO membership for Ukraine, no deploying foreign troops in Ukraine, and international recognition of Putin’s claim that Crimea and four provinces belong to Russia. Russia has made many of these demands over the past two decades. According to US documents reviewed by Reuters, the Biden administration tried to forestall Russia’s invasion of Ukraine by engaging Russia on several demands, while rejecting some of them.
After Recent Attacks, Is There Hope for South Thailand Peace Talks?
Attacks by suspected insurgents killed five people and injured 13 in Thailand’s Narathiwat and Pattani provinces in the country’s conflicted southern region on March 8. On March 10, Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said that the attacks have raised questions on whether those involved in the peace dialogue around the conflict have the authority to represent insurgent groups.
South Thailand has a Muslim-majority population, and was forcibly incorporated into a Buddhist Siam in 1909. The region’s separatist insurgency escalated in the early 2000s, and has been met with violent suppression from the state. The latest peace talks between Thai government negotiators and South Thailand’s main rebel group, the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) took place in early 2024. Since Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra assumed office in August 2024, there have not been signs of Malaysia- brokered peace talks reigniting.
On March 11, Wechayachai said that a new peace negotiating team chief will not be appointed until a strategic plan to resolve the conflict is finalized. He noted that a plan is under review.
Some activists have criticized the government for the lack of renewed peace talks. Anchana Heemmina, chairperson of the Duay Jai (with Heart) Association for Humanitarian Assistance, told Benar News that the government had ignored earlier signs of dissatisfaction in South Thailand, such as people burning electricity poles and putting up protest signs, adding that the government was “not showing clear intentions” on the peace dialogue process.
US Presents Proposal for Israel-Gaza Ceasefire Extension
On March 12, US envoy Steve Witkoff presented an updated proposal for a month-long extension of the Israel-Gaza ceasefire, which expired on March 1, in exchange for the release of at least five living hostages, and the remains of around nine hostages currently held captive by Hamas. Witkoff presented the proposal in Qatar.
Witkoff’s original proposal two weeks ago had called for around 10 living hostages released, along with the remains of around 18 deceased hostages.
Under the updated proposal, the ceasefire would run until the end of passover on April 20, and Israel would lift its blockade of humanitarian aid to Gaza, which has been in place for almost two weeks, CNN reported. Israel and Hamas would use the extended ceasefire to come to a long-term truce in Gaza, according to the proposal.
The Israeli Prime Minister’s office did not respond to CNN’s request for comment. However, the Hostages and Missing Families’ Forum said in a statement that the outline to return only a few hostages was concerning, and that, “We demand a comprehensive and immediate agreement that will return all 59 hostages in one fell swoop and leave no one behind.”
Hamas is still holding 59 hostages in Gaza, and US and Israeli officials believe that 22 of them are still alive, Axios reports.
Keywords: Ukraine, Russia, Thailand, Israel, Palestine, South Thailand, South Thailand insurgency, conflict, peace, conflict resolution
Tara Abhasakun
Tara Abhasakun is a journalist in Bangkok. She has reported on a range of human rights issues involving youth protests in Thailand, as well as arts and culture. Tara's work has appeared in several outlets, including Al Jazeera and South China Morning Post.
