“This is a format of ceasefire that has been achieved and that is the easiest to extend,” he said. Ukraine proposes to cease any strikes using long-range drones and missiles on civilian infrastructure for a period of at least 30 days, with the possibility of extension.
Russian press secretary Dmitry Peskov told state news service TASS that there were no orders to extend the ceasefire.
The U.S. has been trying to broker a truce agreement between both sides for weeks, but Moscow rejected a recent offer for a month-long full ceasefire, which Ukraine had already agreed to. While Putin did agree to halt attacks on energy facilities and civilian infrastructure, the Kremlin violated that deal after one hour.
U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to abandon peace talks if both sides don’t play ball and make progress toward a ceasefire.
“If for some reason, one of the two parties makes it very difficult, we’re just going to say ‘you’re foolish, you’re fools, you’re horrible people’ and we’re going to take a pass,” Trump said on Friday.
Late on Sunday, he wrote on his Truth Social media platform: “HOPEFULLY RUSSIA AMD UKRAINE WILL MAKE A DEAL THIS WEEK. BOTH WILL THEN START TO DO BIG BUSINESS WITH THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, WHICH IS THRIVING, AND MAKE A FORTUNE!”
A week ago, Russia launched a missile attack on the Ukrainian city of Sumy as people were gathering to celebrate Palm Sunday, killing more than 30 and wounding another 117 in one the deadliest attacks this year.
This article has been updated. Joe Stanley-Smith contributed to this report.
