Russia Selenskyj: Had to demonstrate readiness for ceasefire
By agreeing to a ceasefire in the war with Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi wants to refute accusations that his country is unwilling to make peace.
12.03.2025, 16:52
SDA
"I think that today we had to demonstrate our readiness (for a 30-day ceasefire) to the whole world," said the head of state at a press conference in Kiev. That was the main thing for him. He did not "care" whether the USA had discussed this form of ceasefire with Russia in advance or not.
The day before, Ukrainian negotiators in the Saudi Arabian port city of Jeddah had agreed to a US proposal for a temporary ceasefire - despite rejecting it in advance. Ukraine has been defending itself against a Russian invasion for over three years.
Zelenskyi was vague about the situation of the Ukrainian army in the Russian border region of Kursk, which Ukraine was able to capture in parts last year with a surprise counterattack. "Our troops are fulfilling their mission in the Kursk region. The Russians are trying to exert maximum pressure," said Selensky. The Ukrainian military leadership is taking appropriate measures to protect the lives of Ukrainian soldiers.
Earlier, pictures of Russian soldiers from the center of the small town of Sudzha were circulated on social networks. According to a statement from the Ministry of Defense in Moscow, Ukrainian units have also been ousted from five other locations. According to Ukrainian military observers, Kiev now only controls less than a sixth of the more than 1,200 square kilometers it occupied last August.
