United Kingdom Prime Minister Criticizes Putin's Ukraine Ceasefire Response, Calling It Inadequate; Kyiv's Allies Pursue Pressure Strategies Against Russia
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Vladimir Putin's response to the U.S.-proposed ceasefire in Ukraine is "not up to the mark," Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer declared, following a virtual summit aimed at galvanizing support for Kyiv and ratcheting up pressure on Russia.
After hosting a gathering of reasonable nations, aptly named the "coalition of the willing," Starmer stated that leaders agreed that "Putin's 'if and but' is unacceptable." He made it clear that Russia needs to step into negotiations before long, and that "collective persistence will be applied on Russia by all those participating in this morning's meeting."
Saturday's confab comprised over 25 countries, including European nations, the EU Commission, NATO, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, in addition to Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Russia's response to a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine proposed by Kyiv this week seems opaque, with Putin saying, "We're on board with the proposition," but also claiming that the deal remains incomplete.
In these critical moments of the three-year war, Russia is making tactical advances in its Kursk border region, where they are attempting to reverse Ukraine's gains.
Starmer revealed that the militaries of Ukraine's allies will congregate in the UK on Thursday, to create "robust battle strategies" to preserve the peace in case a ceasefire materializes in Ukraine.
"We are transitioning to the operational phase," Starmer explained. "Our militaries will convene in the UK on Thursday this week to erect robust battle strategies to back up a peace agreement and ensure Ukraine's future security."
During Saturday's discourse, Starmer stressed that Ukraine's allies agreed to "continuously supply military supplies to Ukraine and increase economic constraints on Russia's economy, to diminish Putin's war apparatus and bring him to the table."
Starmer persisted that Putin is obstructing the U.S.-backed ceasefire proposal that Ukraine concurred to this week, and urged that "Ukraine champions tranquility."
Trump expressed a hint of optimism on a potential ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine on Friday, without providing specifics, and indicated that his administration held "positive conversations" with both countries earlier in the day.
In a separate post on Truth Social, Trump conjectured, "This unremitting, gory war might finally come to an end."
Putin held talks with US special envoy Steve Witkoff on Thursday in Moscow. Their gathering, as per US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, offered "cause to be modestly optimistic."
With Kyiv seemingly losing ground in the western Russian region of Kursk, its sole territorial bargaining chip, many sense that Putin may choose to delay negotiations on the ceasefire proposal until the region is successfully reclaimed by Russia.
Russian forces have recaptured two more settlements in Kursk - Zaoleshenka and Rubanshchina - according to Russia's defense ministry claims on Saturday. It follows days after Russia reacquired the key town of Sudzha, the largest town Ukraine had occupied in the region.
Zelensky insisted on Saturday that his troops were thwarting Russian and North Korean forces in Kursk and refuted Russian claims that Ukraine's army was encircled.
Meanwhile, aerial attacks persisted, with hundreds of drones breaching the border.
Russia dispatched 178 drones and two ballistic missiles at Ukraine overnight, resulting in the deaths of at least two people and injuries to 44 others, as per Ukrainian officials. The deceased victims were reportedly in the Kherson region, the region's military administration head confirmed, following Russia's targeting of critical infrastructure and residential buildings, damaging seven high-rise buildings and 27 houses.
Russia's Defense Ministry claimed that its air defenses had shot down 126 Ukrainian drones overnight, without specifying how many drones surpassed its defenses.
- Senators Keir Starmer and Marco Rubio, along with leaders fromEuropean nations, the EU Commission, NATO, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, expressed their support for Ukraine during a recent meeting, urging Russia to participate in negotiations for a ceasefire.
- Despite Ukraine's proposal for a 30-day ceasefire, it appears that tensions continue in the Kursk border region, with Russia's military making tactical advances and capturing settlements such as Rubanshchina.
- In order to prepare for a potential ceasefire and ensure Ukraine's future security, the militaries of Ukraine's allies will convene in the UK to develop robust battle strategies on Thursday this week.
