Head of the President’s Office Andrii Yermak held online meeting with representatives from the United States and European countries to discuss a proposal for a complete 30-day ceasefire, the Office of the President reported on 8 May.
US Special Representatives Steven Witkoff and Keith Kellogg represented the United States in the talks.
Yermak said that Putin’s three-day truce proposal aims only to ensure security for Moscow’s parade. It is not intended to achieve peace.
“A 30-day ceasefire would open the way to start meaningful negotiations to achieve a just and lasting peace. If Moscow agrees to this proposal, we are ready for dialogue with the participation and support of the United States and European partners,” Yermak said.
The parties discussed possible tools to pressure Russia if it refuses the ceasefire proposal. They also discussed what to do if Russia violates full silence agreements.
“If the Kremlin once again chooses escalation instead of peace, the partners’ joint response must be decisive. That’s why Ukraine welcomes the bill developed by congressmen led by Lindsey Graham on the application of secondary sanctions against Russia,” Yermak said.
US Vice President JD Vance said on 7 May that Washington is trying not to focus on the 30-day ceasefire proposal. This is because Moscow has not supported the initiative.
On the same day, Zelenskyy responded that “there is no reason to wait until 8 May” for a ceasefire. He added that Ukraine is ready for a 30-day ceasefire from any date proposed by the United States.
Two days after Trump criticized him, Putin had announced a”ceasefire” for the parade from 8 May until 11 May. Putin called for an Easter truce earlier when Trump threatened to abandon peace talks.
Ukraine reportedly accused Russia of breaking its Easter ceasefire almost 3,000 times within 30 hours.
Ukraine has been willing to begin a full 30-day ceasefire since early March. This was when the US first proposed an interim truce. Kyiv and Washington asked Moscow to follow the same terms, but Russia has refused a full ceasefire unless Ukraine refuses all foreign military aid and gives up territory.
Read also:
- Yermak: Relations between Kyiv and Washington are back on track
- Speaking Russian does not mean belonging to Russia: Ukraine challenges Witkoff’s “four regions” claim
- Kellogg: Putin’s proposal for a “three-day ceasefire is absurd”
