Moscow (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – On Tuesday, the Kremlin stated that Ukraine had yet to reply to multiple proposals made by Russian President Vladimir Putin for direct peace talks. It remains uncertain if Ukraine will participate in the three-day ceasefire he announced for next month.
“It was President Putin who repeatedly said that Russia is ready, without any preconditions, to start the negotiations process,”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
“We have not heard a response from the Kyiv regime so far.”
Peskov said it was
“very difficult to understand”
Whether Ukraine intended to join the ceasefire.
How is the Kremlin portraying its peace intentions?
On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a three-day ceasefire in May to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory alongside its allies in World War II.
Putin’s action seemed intended to convey that Russia remains committed to peace, a claim contested by Ukraine and its European allies, especially as President Donald Trump’s administration in Washington becomes increasingly frustrated with the sluggish progress toward peace negotiations.
The Kremlin announced that the 72-hour ceasefire will take place on May 8, May 9—when Putin is set to host international leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, for grand celebrations honoring victory over Nazi Germany—and May 10.
Why did Ukraine propose a longer ceasefire period?
Kyiv sought to understand why Putin declined its request for an immediate 30-day ceasefire lasting at least 30 days to facilitate diplomacy.
“For some reason, everyone is supposed to wait for May 8 and only then have a ceasefire to ensure calm for Putin during the parade,” President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address. “We value people’s lives and not parades.” Russia has expressed its desire for a comprehensive settlement rather than just a suspension.
What role is President Trump playing in negotiations?
Putin announced his decision following a conversation between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Sunday. The White House stated that Trump aimed for a lasting ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.
“While President Trump welcomes Vladimir Putin’s willingness to pause the conflict, the president has been very clear he wants a permanent ceasefire and to bring this conflict to a peaceful resolution,” stated National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes.
“All military actions are suspended for this period. Russia believes that the Ukrainian side should follow this example,” the Kremlin said in a statement on the May 8-10 ceasefire.
“In the event of violations by the Ukrainian side, Russia’s armed forces will give an adequate and effective response.”
