Russia has turned down Ukraine’s proposal to extend a brief ceasefire to 30 days, as pressure mounts from the United States for a lasting resolution to the ongoing war.
Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday that Moscow had received Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s request to prolong President Vladimir Putin’s unilateral three-day truce, scheduled from May 8 to 10.
The short pause coincides with Russia’s commemorations of the 80th anniversary of its victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.
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However, Peskov said it would be “difficult to enter into a long-term ceasefire” without addressing a number of “questions.”
Zelenskyy, for his part, dismissed the three-day ceasefire as an “attempt at manipulation,” questioning why Moscow would not accept Kyiv’s call for a 30-day, full ceasefire to begin immediately.
In response, Peskov accused Kyiv of manipulation, pointing to what he described as Ukraine’s lack of a “direct response” to Putin’s gesture, which the Kremlin insists was a “gesture of goodwill.”
The disagreement comes amid growing frustration from Washington. US President, Donald Trump on Sunday publicly urged Putin to “stop shooting” and sign a peace agreement, expressing concern that the Russian leader was “just tapping me along.”
Last month, Russia blocked a US-backed plan for a 30-day ceasefire by demanding broad conditions, including prohibiting Ukraine from regrouping or receiving Western arms during the pause — without offering any concessions in return.
Ukraine accepted the US proposal. Zelenskyy said late Monday, “The ceasefire must be immediate, full, and unconditional – for at least 30 days to ensure it is secure and guaranteed.”
Despite diplomatic wrangling, fighting continued Tuesday. Ukrainian officials reported dozens of Russian drone attacks overnight.
A strike in Ukraine’s southeastern Dnipropetrovsk region killed a 12-year-old girl and wounded three others, including a six-year-old.
Russia also fired 20 drones and 31 guided bombs at Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city. In Kyiv, debris from an intercepted drone sparked a neighborhood fire.
Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 100 drones between Monday night and Tuesday morning.
In Russia’s Belgorod region, an “enemy drone deliberately struck a moving vehicle carrying five men,” regional Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said.
Russia’s military claimed to have shot down 40 drones across several regions overnight, including four over the Russian-controlled Crimean Peninsula.
Reports from Moscow said civilians in Russian border areas continue to suffer.
(Aljazeera)
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