NYT: Zelensky dismissed any idea of truce with Russia

Zelensky
Photo: Reuters

President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia said that he had ordered his forces to “stop all military activity” from Saturday evening through Sunday. Ukraine’s leader said Putin was trying to “play with people’s lives,” ‘The New York Times’ writes.

President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia ordered his forces to “stop all military activity” against Ukraine from Saturday evening through Sunday, declaring an “Easter truce” that appeared aimed at showing an impatient Trump administration that Moscow was still open to peace talks.

“We will assume that the Ukrainian side will follow our example,” Mr. Putin said in a meeting televised on Saturday with his top military commander, Gen. Valery V. Gerasimov.

Mr. Putin claimed that Kyiv’s response would shed light on Ukraine’s “desire, and, indeed, its ability” to take part in negotiations to end the war.

The offer seemed designed to do two things: Appeal to President Trump and put Ukrainian Zelensky of into a bind. He could reject the truce offer and risk angering Mr. Trump.

Mr. Zelensky tried to thread the needle. He said Ukraine would abide by a truce so long as Russia did. And if Russia kept fighting, so would Ukraine.

“If Russia is now suddenly ready to truly engage in a format of full and unconditional silence, Ukraine will act accordingly — mirroring Russia’s actions,” Mr. Zelensky said in a social-media post. “Silence in response to silence, defensive strikes in response to attacks.”

The Kremlin also quickly sought to turn Washington’s attention to Mr. Putin’s announcement. Kirill Dmitriev, an envoy for Mr. Putin who traveled to Washington this month, posted the news, adding, “One step closer to peace” and an emoji of a dove.

In his televised meeting on Saturday with General Gerasimov, Mr. Putin presented Russia as seeking peace and Ukraine as the recalcitrant party. He said Russian forces needed to be ready “to repel possible cease-fire violations and provocations by the enemy.”

“We have always been ready” for peace talks, Mr. Putin said.

Russia previously declared a unilateral truce for the Eastern Orthodox Christmas in January 2023. At the time, Mr. Zelensky dismissed the idea.

Referring to the Chinese leader, Xi Jinping, and the informal club of nations that also includes Brazil, India and South Africa, Mr. Putin added that Russia welcomed “in every way the efforts of President Trump, our Chinese friends, the chairman of the People’s Republic of China, the BRICS countries and all supporters to achieve a fair and peaceful settlement of the Ukraine crisis.”

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