 "'None of us trust Russians': Zelenskyy expects ‘strong steps’ by US if Moscow refuses ceasefire")
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday said that he does not “trust” Russia over the ceasefire proposal put forth by the US and accepted by Kyiv.
“I have emphasised this many times, none of us trust the Russians,” Zelensky said at a press conference in Kyiv.
Ukraine has backed Washington’s 30-day ceasefire plan that it proposed during talks with Kyiv in Saudi Arabia. The positive response from Ukraine prompted President Donald Trump’s administration to lift a freeze on military aid and to predict the beginning an end of the conflict.
“Everything depends on whether Russia wants a ceasefire and silence, or it wants to continue killing people,” the Ukrainian president said, adding, “Ukraine has demonstrated its position… and today Russia has to respond to this.”
‘Strong steps against Russia’
Zelenskyy also said that he expected strong measures from the United States if Russia rejected Washington’s proposal for a 30-day ceasefire with Ukraine.
“I understand that we can count on strong steps. I don’t know the details yet but we are talking about sanctions (against Russia) and strengthening Ukraine,” he said.
The ceasefire proposal, which will include a truce on the sea, in the air and on land, will be used by Ukraine to think of future course of action including including what kind of security guarantees could be provided by Ukraine’s Western allies, the president said.
Russia waits and watches
Meanwhile, Moscow has declined to comment on whether the ceasefire proposal agreed by the US and Ukraine on Tuesday is acceptable to Russia, with Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov saying Moscow expects to be briefed by the US officials involved in the talks first.
During his daily press briefing on Wednesday, Peskov said that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz are expected to update Moscow on the outcomes of the talks in the coming days.
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