Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday ordered a three-day truce with Ukraine to coincide with Moscow’s World War II commemorations next month that his Ukrainian rival slammed as an “attempt at manipulation.”
Before Putin’s announcement, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held new talks with Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov, having declared that this would be a crucial week in a US decision on whether to halt its peace efforts.
The Kremlin said Putin had ordered a “ceasefire” for the 80th anniversary of Victory Day from Thursday next week to Saturday.
Photo: AP
“All combat operations will be suspended during this period,” it said in a statement.
The Kremlin said the halt to fighting would be for humanitarian reasons, as well as the anniversary, and that it expected Kyiv to issue a similar order.
Putin also ordered a ceasefire for Easter, when each side accused the other of mass breaches, although it did lead to a temporary reduction in fighting.
Ukraine has demanded an immediate ceasefire lasting at least 30 days and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in his daily address to the nation: “Now there’s a new attempt at manipulation — for some reason, everyone has to wait until May 8.”
“If Russia truly wants peace, it must cease fire immediately. Why wait until May 8th?” Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Andriy Sybiga wrote on social media.
The White House on Monday said that US President Donald Trump wants a permanent ceasefire, and is becoming “increasingly frustrated” with the leaders of Russia and Ukraine.
After a meeting with Zelenskiy at Pope Francis’ funeral on Saturday, Trump questioned whether the Russian leader was serious about peace.
“There was no reason for Putin to be shooting missiles into civilian areas, cities and towns over the last few days. It makes me think that maybe he doesn’t want to stop the war, he’s just tapping me along,” said Trump, who has also had clashes with the Ukrainian leader.
Rubio on Sunday told Lavrov that the US is committed to working to end the “senseless war,” US Department of State spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said.
She said Rubio spoke to Lavrov about “the next steps in Russia-Ukraine peace talks and the need to end the war now.”
Trump has already said that the US could abandon its peace efforts and Rubio indicated again on Sunday how US patience is wearing thin over the conflict.
“This is going to be a very critical week,” he told NBC, adding that Washington might prefer to focus on “other issues.”
Russia and Ukraine have not held direct talks on the fighting since the start of Moscow’s offensive. Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014, has become the focus of efforts to bring the two sides together.
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