Zelensky dismisses Putin's truce plan as theatrical, endorses 30-day ceasefire initiative from the US
The Lowdown on Zelensky and Putin's Ceasefire Clash
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky ain't buying Russian President Vladimir Putin's latest peace offering. According to Interfax Ukraine, Zelensky labeled Putin's proposal for a three-day ceasefire as a theatrical stunt aimed at easing Russia's international isolation and setting the stage for Moscow's Victory Day celebrations.
In a private meeting with journalists, Zelensky declared that Putin's plan was a far cry from a genuine attempt to put an end to the war. Instead, he reaffirmed Ukraine's commitment to the U.S.-backed strategy, which advocates for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire.
history warns us that Moscow tends to violate short-term truces, making any confidence in Putin's latest move hard to come by. As Zelensky put it, "They kill until the 7th, pause for a couple of comfortable days, then start attacking again on the 11th."
Putin announced his "humanitarian truce" from midnight May 8 to midnight May 11, but the timing couldn't be more suspect, seeing as the Kremlin continues to snub Ukraine's pleas for an all-out halt in hostilities. Almost six weeks ago, Ukraine accepted the U.S.-proposed 30-day ceasefire, but Moscow dismissed it and demanded a complete halt on military aid to Ukraine.
Zelensky suggested that Putin's peace gesture was more of a simulated goodwill response to peace signals allegedly delivered by U.S. President Donald Trump's Special Envoy, Steve Witkoff. Zelensky stated, "This is more of a theatrical performance on his part. Because it is impossible to build any plan for the next steps to end the war in two or three days."
Kyiv is game for the 30-day truce anytime - whenever it's convenient for Putin - as long as there's proper monitoring in place to prevent Russia from exploiting the temporary pause. Zelensky said Ukraine had shared its take with the U.S., U.K., and France, and that Washington seemed to understand Putin's proposal as hollow posturing.
The Victory Day ceasefire is simply the latest truce initiative from Moscow, which, ironically, has itself repeatedly violated. Last month, Russia declared a ceasefire over the Easter holiday, but Zelensky accused Moscow of nearly 3,000 violations between April 19 and April 21. Ukraine also claimed that Russian forces repeatedly breached a partial truce on attacks against energy facilities brokered on March 25.
Over the years, Russia has made numerous peace overtures while pushing for maximalist demands. Kyiv has frequently dismissed these promises as propaganda, noting that Russian forces have only intensified their attacks on Ukrainian cities and towns.
Historical Perspective:Russia's track record of breaking short-term truces during conflicts with Ukraine shows a consistent pattern of violations. Here's a snapshot of key events:
- The beginning of the Minsk Agreements in 2014, aimed at stopping the violence, ended in failure when Russian forces immediately fired upon a Ukrainian checkpoint.
- Yearly holiday ceasefires, like Christmas and Easter, have often collapsed within a blink of an eye, with accusations of violations from both sides.
- Previous truce attempts, like the Back-to-School Ceasefire (2017), July 2020 Comprehensive Ceasefire, and U.S.-mediated energy ceasefire agreements, have also crumbled due to mutual accusations of breaches.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed skepticism towards Russian President Vladimir Putin's proposal for a three-day ceasefire in April, suggesting it as a theatrical stunt.
- Zelensky has suggested that Putin's peace gesture is more of a simulated response to peace signals, warning about the risks of short-term truces as history has shown Moscow's tendency to violate them.
- Kyiv is ready for a 30-day truce, provided there's proper monitoring in place, but has voiced concerns about the consistency of Putin's peace initiatives, citing numerous instances of violations in the past.
- The general news and politics circles have been discussing Zelensky's stance on the proposed ceasefire, with many expressing concern about the supposed end to the war-and-conflicts in Ukraine given Putin's track record.
