Ukraine’s Zelensky calls Putin truce proposal an ‘attempt at manipulation’
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Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky visits the site of a Russian missile strike on a residential area in Kyiv, on April 25.
PHOTO: REUTERS
KYIV - Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky on April 28 branded a three-day truce announced by his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin as an “attempt at manipulation”.
“Now there’s a new attempt at manipulation: for some reason, everyone has to wait until May 8,” Mr Zelensky said in his daily address.
Mr Putin on April 28 ordered the ceasefire on May 8-10, which coincides with Moscow’s World War II commemorations, drawing ire from Kyiv, which demanded Moscow pause hostilities immediately.
Ukraine said that it wanted an immediate truce with Russia for “at least 30 days”.
“If Russia truly wants peace, it must cease fire immediately. Why wait until May 8th?“ Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga wrote on X.
The United States has warned that this week would be “critical” for determining whether peace was possible. AFP
