Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy again on Wednesday restated that Kyiv is sticking to a proposed 30-day truce in its conflict with Russia, a proposal that was first supported by the United States in March. The Kremlin still has not made any official reaction to the proposal.
Talking during his evening video address, Zelenskyy insisted that Ukraine’s proposal to suspend strikes for 30 days remains in place, framing it as a possible way to restart diplomatic negotiations. “We are not going to retract this offer, which could give a chance to diplomacy,” he explained.
Zelenskyy also seemed to indirectly confirm a wave of drone strikes against Russia, including attacks close to Moscow, indicating the war’s cost was now being reflected across the border. “It is absolutely just that Russian skies, the aggressor’s skies, are not peaceful today either,” he said.
At the same time, Russian Foreign Ministry press secretary Maria Zakharova rejected suggestions that Moscow is against a ceasefire, stating that Russia has already put a 30-day moratorium on strikes on energy facilities and had respected a ceasefire on Orthodox Easter.
Zakharova blamed Kyiv for undermining both initiatives, alleging Ukrainian forces had broken the energy truce 135 times and the Easter ceasefire almost 5,000 times. “Russia has never been against a ceasefire,” she insisted. “Unfortunately, Kyiv undermined both.”
The words arrive just hours before a proposed Russian three-day truce to observe Victory Day, which commemorates the Nazi defeat in World War Two. Whereas Moscow blames the collapse of earlier ceasefires on Ukraine, Kyiv argues Russia has countered for peace moves by continuing with air strikes underscoring that stalemate prevails.
As both camps dig in, the chances of a prolonged ceasefire cannot be certain, notwithstanding calls by the international community for a temporary ceasefire and a resumption of negotiations.
