22.04.2025 08:11
In a statement to reporters in the capital Moscow, Russian leader Vladimir Putin announced that a step could be taken towards a direct meeting with Zelensky for the first time in the ongoing war with Ukraine. In response, Zelensky quickly replied to Putin, stating, "We are waiting for Russia's response to the proposal to end attacks on civilian targets."
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Russian President Vladimir Putin mentioned for the first time since the beginning of the war that he is open to direct talks with Ukraine. The Russian leader, who proposed a bilateral meeting in Kiev, conveyed the message that he is open to much more than a one-day ceasefire.
EVALUATED THE TEMPORARY CEASEFIRE
In a statement to reporters in the capital Moscow, Putin evaluated the temporary ceasefire declared in Ukraine over the weekend, which ended today at 00:00. Noting that clashes continued after the ceasefire, Putin said, "We view the ceasefire positively. That is why we initiated such an initiative. We view any peaceful initiative positively. I hope that the representatives of Kiev will also respond positively to this." he stated.
"WE ARE READY TO LOOK TOWARDS THE FUTURE"
Pointing out that the Ukrainian side initially did not accept the ceasefire proposal, Putin said, "However, then there were smarter individuals there, probably foreign curators, who said that rejecting such initiatives meant losing for the Kiev administration. Therefore, (Ukrainian officials) quickly accepted it." He expressed that they would analyze the results of the declared ceasefire for further developments, stating, "(In Ukraine) a general decrease in military activities has been observed. We welcome this and are ready to look towards the future. However, despite this, the ceasefire process was violated 4,900 times." he said.
"MILITARY MEETINGS ARE HELD IN RESTAURANTS"
Evaluating the possibility of refraining from attacks on civilian infrastructure facilities, Putin pointed out that the Russian army had previously attacked the congress center of a university in the city of Sumi, stating: "This is a civilian infrastructure element. However, here in the Kursk region, Ukrainian soldiers who committed crimes were being rewarded. They were punished for the crimes they committed. The Kiev administration is using civilian elements. Military meetings are being held in restaurants. This needs to be resolved and deeply analyzed. This can be done bilaterally as well. We do not ignore this. We will analyze all of this and make the necessary decisions."
SWIFT RESPONSE FROM ZELENSKY
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky did not delay in responding to Putin. Zelensky said, "We are waiting for Russia's response behind the proposal to end attacks on civilian targets." He stated that his country is ready for any negotiations to reach an agreement on this matter.
WHAT HAPPENED?
Russian President Putin announced that they decided to declare a ceasefire in Ukraine from 18:00 on April 19 until 00:00 on April 21 due to the Easter holiday. The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that they continued the clashes after the temporary ceasefire declared in Ukraine due to the Easter holiday had ended. Both sides accused each other of violating the ceasefire during this process.
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