The proposal by Russian President Vladimir Putin to halt fire on the front for 30 days has sparked significant international discussions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky assessed this proposal as "manipulative" and "expected." According to him, Putin is trying to artificially prolong the peace process and secretly continue the war.
Zelensky's response to Putin's proposal
In the opinion of the Ukrainian president, Russia is known to be setting various conditions to prolong the negotiation process without directly rejecting it. Zelensky stated in his address:
"Putin is afraid to give a direct refusal. Therefore, he is imposing such conditions on the peace proposal that ultimately nothing will be realized or this process will be prolonged as much as possible. Russia always behaves this way — it does not directly refuse, but makes normal solutions almost impossible."
According to Zelensky, Ukraine has the opportunity to control this process with the help of the US and the European Union. He called for increasing international pressure on Putin and imposing new sanctions.
Putin's position
Russian President Vladimir Putin emphasized that the 30-day ceasefire regime would only be implemented if it could lead to long-term peace. In his view, Ukraine might use the ceasefire period to receive new weapons and regroup its army.
"We agreed to the proposal to halt fire in Ukraine, but it must lead to real and sustainable peace. If Kyiv uses the 30 days to try to accumulate new weapons and forces, this process will lose its meaning," said Putin.
The West and international relations
The US had previously proposed a 30-day ceasefire during negotiations with the Ukrainian delegation in Saudi Arabia. The Ukrainian side agreed to this, but Russia indicated the need to discuss how this process would be implemented.
According to reports from Western publications, Putin is artificially prolonging this process to negotiate a peace agreement under the most favorable conditions for Moscow. Furthermore, the future of the war between Russia and Ukraine remains directly linked to the international political situation.
The issue of a 30-day ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia reflects a very complex political situation. While Zelensky assesses this as another manipulation by Russia, Putin is stating that such a pause would be ineffective unless long-term peace is guaranteed. The international community is watching how this process unfolds, but negotiations regarding peace are currently facing serious challenges.
