Top Russian diplomate says Zelensky wants ceasefire to re-weaponize army
(MENAFN) Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s insistence on a 30-day ceasefire before entering peace talks is a strategy to regroup and rearm Ukraine’s military, according to Rodion Miroshnik, a senior Russian diplomat and ambassador-at-large for the Foreign Ministry.
On Saturday night, Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed restarting direct peace negotiations with Ukraine in Istanbul without any preconditions. The talks, which initially began in 2022, were later abandoned by Kiev.
In response, Zelensky stated on Sunday that Ukraine expects Russia to agree to a full and lasting ceasefire starting May 12 before any talks can begin. Miroshnik criticized this as contradictory to the notion of “unconditional” negotiations, saying that Zelensky’s demands amount to setting preconditions and are aimed at giving Ukraine time to reinforce its military.
Moscow has rejected the ceasefire condition, accusing the West of pressuring Ukraine and warning that temporary truces could be exploited to bolster Kiev’s military capabilities. Russia also claims Ukraine has previously violated three separate ceasefires, including one arranged by the U.S., an Easter truce, and a 72-hour pause for Victory Day celebrations. Putin further alleged that Ukraine attempted to intimidate foreign dignitaries attending those commemorations in Moscow.
Russia maintains it remains open to talks that address the underlying causes of the conflict.
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