Seeing there too short deadlines for serious talks, Volodymyr Zelensky brows a short back of the short hand offered by Vladimir Putin. “It is impossible to agree on something in three, five or seven days. Let’s be honest. It is a theatrical performance on his part. In two or three days, it is impossible to find a plan to establish the next steps to finish the war. It does not seem serious, ”said the Ukrainian president.
Separate discussions between Moscow and kyiv, led by Washington, have been extended for more than two months and are struggling, for the time being, to achieve results to find a way out of the conflict triggered by the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Monday, Vladimir Putin announced a three -day truce, from May 8 to 10, on the occasion of the celebrations of the 80th Nazi.
He had already decreed a short ceasefire during the Easter weekend in April, which had led to a drop in fighting without being fully respected by the two camps. kyiv asks for “a total and unconditional ceasefire” as prerequisites for any negotiation with Russia, which repeats that it is ready to negotiate with Ukraine, but is however reluctant on a prolonged truce. Because Moscow, whose army currently has the advantage on the front, says it fears that a cease-fire will allow kyiv to regain strength, with the military support of his allies.
Threats on the parade in Moscow
This year, the leaders of around twenty countries must be held alongside Vladimir Putin on May 9, including Chinese presidents Xi Jinping and Brazilian Luiz Lula Da Silva, thus those of traditional Moscow Allies such as Kazakhstan, Belarus, Cuba and Venezuela. Volodymyr Zelensky said kyiv could not guarantee the “security” of the leaders present. “We don’t know what Russia will do on this date. It could take different measures, such as fires, explosions, and then accuse us, “said the Ukrainian president.
-On Telegram, the former Russian president Dmitri Medvedev and current number two of the Security Council accused Volodymyr Zelensky of “verbal provocation” with these declarations. If a “real provocation” took place on May 9 in Moscow, “no one guarantees that May 10 will take place in kyiv,” threatened Dmitri Medvedev, once again waving the specter of Russian nuclear bombing in Ukraine.
Greeting meeting between Trump and Zelensky
In Ukraine, the announcement by Vladimir Putin of this truce was perceived by observers as a means of preventing Ukrainian strikes that can potentially disturb ceremonies. Ukraine regularly strikes targets in Russia with its long -range drones, which have also touched Moscow on several occasions, in response to Russian bombings that have been ravaging the country for more than three years.
The White House argued on Monday that Donald Trump wanted a “permanent” ceasefire in Ukraine and not just a temporary truce such as that announced by Moscow. Volodymyr Zelensky estimated on Friday evening that his meeting with the American president in the Vatican, on April 26, had allowed the latter to “a little differently” the conflict.
After this interview, kyiv and Washington signed on Wednesday, after weeks of pressure and negotiations, an agreement which plans to give American companies access to the extraction of minerals, oil and gas in Ukraine and to create an investment fund between the two countries.
