Ceasefire stand-off: Ukraine pushes peace as Russia resists
The US Special Envoy for Ukraine, General Keith Kellogg, has urged Russia to accept Ukraine's proposal for a 30-day unconditional ceasefire. "As President Trump has repeatedly said, stop the killing!!" he wrote.
"Even the Prime Minister of New Zealand gets it. As President Trump has repeatedly said, stop the killing!! An unconditional 30 day ceasefire first and, during it, move into comprehensive peace discussions. Not the other way around," the US Special Envoy for Ukraine, General Keith Kellogg, wrote on the X platform.
The Kremlin remains defiant. Putin does not want peace
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister of New Zealand expressed support for global partners striving for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, stating, "starting with a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire."
On Saturday, the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, announced that it had been agreed that a full and unconditional ceasefire will begin on Monday.
There was also a warning to Russia that if it does not agree to the ceasefire, the EU countries and the USA will impose "massive" and "coordinated" sanctions on Moscow.
In response to the call, during a press conference at the Kremlin held in the early hours from Saturday to Sunday, the Russian leader proposed "direct talks" with Kyiv in Istanbul on Thursday, 15 May, though he was nearly an hour late for the conference.
He claimed that he has repeatedly put forward steps towards a ceasefire. However, it is important to note that Moscow has never fulfilled its agreements and - despite the announcement of a ceasefire - continued to carry out attacks. This was the case during the Easter ceasefire, among others.
US President Donald Trump responded to these events by announcing the intensification of efforts for peace between Russia and Ukraine. "A big week is coming," he declared on the Truth Social platform, emphasising the importance of the upcoming peace talks.
Moscow does not want a ceasefire
Since Sunday morning, the Kremlin has been conducting a disinformation operation. Moscow does not agree to a ceasefire first, followed by talks.
Rodion Miroshnik, a Russian politician, told the TASS agency that Zelensky makes statements about the ceasefire in order to start rearming Ukraine.
Deputy Leonid Slutsky believes that Putin's proposal to resume negotiations with Kyiv in Istanbul is "a real step towards achieving peace."
He claimed that Putin has skilfully outmanoeuvred the "European hawks" and Zelensky on the international stage, who he says set an ultimatum regarding the 30-day ceasefire.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated that Kyiv "misread Putin's statement transcript."
She stressed that Putin made it clear the causes of the conflict must be addressed before any discussion about a ceasefire can take place.
