Putin announces temporary ceasefire, Ukraine responds with 30-day proposal
On the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union's victory in the Second World War, Russian president Vladimir Putin announced a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine. Later on Monday, Ukraine's Foreign minister responded by calling for a 30-day ceasefire.
On Monday, Russia celebrates Victory Day, a holiday commemorating the Soviet victory against the Nazi regime. To mark the 80th anniversary of that event, Putin announced a 72-hour ceasefire in the war with Ukraine, from 8 until 10 May. According to the Kremlin, “all hostilities will be suspended during this period.”
“Russia believes that the Ukrainian side should follow this example,” a statement by the Kremlin says. Not long after, the government of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky responded with a call for an immediate 30-day ceasefire.
"If Russia truly wants peace, it must cease fire immediately. Why wait until May 8th?," Foreign minister Andrii Sybiha wrote on X. "Ukraine is ready to support a lasting, durable, and full ceasefire (...) for at least 30 days."
Following Easter, Putin had also ordered a ceasefire, which lasted for 30 hours. Both Ukraine and Russia accused each other of violating the truce. The Russian president previously rejected a 30-day ceasefire proposal by the United States, which Ukraine did accept.
Frustrated Trump
The ceasefire announcement comes as US president Donald Trump is growing increasingly frustrated with Russian attacks on Ukraine. “It makes me think that maybe he doesn’t want to stop the war, he’s just tapping me along,” Trump wrote on social media last weekend.
On Monday, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt responded to Putin's proposal by saying that the US president wants a permanent ceasefire. Both leaders need to come to the table to negotiate their way out of this, she added.
On Monday, Putin reiterated Russia's willingness to hold "unconditional" peace talks. But in an interview with Brazilian newspaper O Globo published on Monday, Russian Foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said international recognition of Russia's annexation of Crimea and other Ukrainian regions was a condition for negotiations.
PHOTO © Mikhail METZEL / POOL / AFP
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