Russian President Vladamir Putin has said a ceasefire might be possible. Photo Credit Shutterstock miss.cabul
President Vladimir Putin has announced that a ceasefire might be possible in the Ukraine.
After Ukraine agreed to a full 30-day ceasefire on March 12, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had said that the “ball was in Russia’s court” and Putin has responded in the first sign of a move toward peace from both sides of the war.
Putin answered during a conference with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko saying he agrees “with the proposals for the ceasefire” but adding he has lots of questions for America about how the ceasefire would work. He said he would need to speak to President Donald Trump before any agreement was reached.
Today’s update from Putin conflicts with what Russian representative Yuri Ushakov said earlier in the week, when he claimed the deal was hasty and would benefit Ukraine more than Russia, he was reported as saying “I have stated our position that this is nothing other than a temporary respite for the Ukrainian military, nothing more.”
Was Ukraine forced to take a peace deal?
Russia and Putin might agree to the temporary ceasefire but Ukraine took the first steps towards peace. Whether it was through a choice or being outmanoeuvred remains to be seen.
Zelensky’s agreeance to a peace deal came just a week after America stopped all intelligence sharing and military aid in Ukraine. A week in which Russian forces pushed forward in their advances and secured their position to the extent that Putin could visit the front line in Kursk safely. After Zelensky’s agreeance to a month-long ceasefire, America immediately reinstated military aid.
Whether forced towards peace or not Zelensky says Ukraine is ready to take the step
Zelensky speaking on his agreement on March 12 with America had said: “Today, in the conversation, the American side proposed to take the first step immediately and try to establish a full ceasefire for 30 days, not only concerning rockets, drones, and bombs, not only in the Black Sea, but also along the entire front line.” He went on to say “Ukraine accepts this proposal, we consider it positive, and we are ready to take this step.”
Prior to Putin’s announcement Zelensky was reported as saying that the silence from Russia immediately following his agreement to a 30-day ceasefire showed that they were seeking to prolong the war.
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