A short ceasefire has just begun in Ukraine, after Russia’s President Putin declared a three-day end to hostilities to mark his country’s involvement in putting an end to Nazi Germany.
In Russia, World War Two is known as the Great Patriotic War, where 27 million Soviet soldiers and citizens died to break Hitler’s seemingly unstoppable military machine and counterattack all the way to Berlin.
Now, Putin is hoping to connect this act of national sacrifice to his ongoing illegal invasion of Ukraine, where he is falsely claiming to be ridding the country of Nazis and fascists. This fresh ceasefire began at 10pm GMT on Wednesday night and is expected to expire on May 11.
On Wednesday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said that the only obstacle to a longer ceasefire in Ukraine is the Kiev government. She claimed: “The only obstacle to ceasefire is Kiev, who violates the agreements and is not willing to discuss conditions for a long-term cessation of hostilities.”
The Kremlin spokesperson continued: “The Ukrainian armed forces’ conduct during the 72-hour ceasefire on May 8-10, declared by Russian President Vladimir Putin in connection with the Victory Day, will be a test for their peaceful intentions.”
While Putin is seeking to appear magnanimous in granting the pause in fighting, this is juxtaposed by the actions of Russian troops, who spent the past three days battering the Ukrainian population centres of Kharkiv, Sumy and Odesa with long-range missiles and drone strikes.
On Tuesday night, Kiev’s forces responded with a vast drone attack across Russia, with more than 100 of their drones shot down overnight.
Moscow has warned that any violation of this three-day ceasefire will “immediately” result in “an appropriate response.”
As well as the ceasfire in Ukraine, Putin will be marking the 80th anniversary of Soviet troops over the Nazi Third Reich with parades of military hardware through Moscow, with the aim of showing the Russian Federation as still a Great Power – with the means to continue its campaign of conquest against the Ukrainian people.
Meanwhile, talks to bring about an end the Russia-Ukraine war, or even just a longer ceasefire, appear to be faltering. The usually bombastic Trump administration has poured cold water on the likely outcome of peace talks, after it became clear that Putin is not a reliable negotiator.
Vice President JD Vance admitted on Wednesday: “I wouldn’t say that the Russians are uninterested in bringing this thing to a resolution.
“What I would say is, right now, the Russians are asking for a certain set of requirements, a certain set of concessions in order to end the conflict. We think they’re asking for too much.”
Red lines for both the Kremlin and Kiev, such as the status of Russian-occupied Crime, have continued to be sticking points in the talks, with the Trump team appearing to make little headway.
When asked about Vance’s comments, the Guardian reports Trump concurring with his number two, stating: “It’s possible that’s right.
“We are getting to a point where some decisions are going to have to be made,” said the US president. “I’m not happy about it … I’m not happy about it.”
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