Russia rejects temporary truce efforts with Ukraine as Western ploy

ISTANBUL

Russia has rejected any efforts for a temporary truce or freeze in the conflict in Ukraine, dismissing such measures as a Western ploy to allow Kyiv to strengthen its military capabilities.

The West would use a pause in hostilities to strengthen Ukraine's military position, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova claimed during a press briefing on Thursday.

“A temporary truce, or what many refer to as a freeze of the conflict, is simply unacceptable. The collective West and its representatives will use it to enhance the military potential of the Kyiv regime and, of course, to pursue armed military revanche,” Zakharova said.

She stressed that Russia requires “reliable, legally binding agreements and mechanisms that would guarantee” the prevention of such crises in the region.

Her remarks are consistent with the stance of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who said on Wednesday that Moscow prefers a full resolution of the conflict over a ceasefire that Ukraine could exploit.

“This should not be merely a truce or a temporary ceasefire, nor some kind of pause that the Kyiv regime could use to recover losses, regroup, and get rearmed,” Putin said at a press conference following talks with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

Putin reiterated that Russia’s proposals offer a path to end hostilities and initiate negotiations, adding that the conditions for peace were outlined in his speech at the Foreign Ministry.

Zelenskyy open to talks with Putin

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced that he is willing to meet with Putin to discuss diplomatic solutions to the conflict.

At a news conference in Kyiv following a meeting with European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) President Odile Renaud-Basso on Thursday, Zelenskyy claimed that Putin is "afraid of talking" about ending the war.

“The US President (Donald) Trump and the EU countries believe that diplomacy is impossible without Russia, without Putin. That’s why I said that I am ready (to meet with him) if we can agree on how this war will end for us."

"We are ready for diplomacy; I have no problem with that here. The problem is that it seems to me that Putin is basically afraid of talking to me about ending the war,” he said.

Zelenskyy also addressed concerns over a Ukrainian decree signed in 2022 that prohibits peace talks with Russia while Putin remains in power, claiming that it does not apply to him personally.

The Ukrainian leader said his government is in contact with Washington about a possible peace plan and emphasized the importance of direct talks.