Russian Ukraine war: As Putin Calls a 36-Hour Cease-Fire, Ukraine and U.S. are sceptical. Ukrainian President Zelensky has derided the cease-fire call by Russia and has outrightly rejected the proposal. The Kremlin on Thursday announced a 36-hour cease-fire in Ukraine to mark the Eastern Orthodox Christmas, which would be the broadest truce by far since Russia invaded in February. But Ukraine’s leaders dismissed the idea as cynical posturing by a ruthless and untrustworthy enemy.
President Putin ordered a cease-fire, from noon Friday until midnight Saturday, the Kremlin and the Defense Ministry declared in separate statements. “Given that a large number of citizens practising Orthodoxy reside in the areas of hostilities, we call on the Ukrainian side to announce a cease-fire and allow them to attend services on Christmas Eve and the day of Christ’s birth,” the Kremlin said.
Zelensky rejected the truce offer considering it a ploy for getting breathing time
However, Zelensky responded with ridicule through a video message, though he did not explicitly rule out the idea. After switching from speaking Ukrainian to Russian to address the Russian people directly, he spoke of those who “sent all of your people to be slaughtered” and “do not strive for peace.”
“Now they want to use Christmas as a cover” to pause Ukrainian advances “and bring equipment, ammunition and mobilized troops closer to our positions,” he said. “Everyone in the world knows how the Kremlin uses lulls in the war to continue the war with new force,” he added.
It is hereby noteworthy to mention that Russia has previously rejected — and, according to Ukraine, has repeatedly violated — limited, local cease-fires intended to allow humanitarian evacuations and aid deliveries in besieged places like Mariupol.
Putin’s domestic stature has been badly bruised
The Kremlin’s announcement comes at a time when Russian forces have been subjected to severe loss of lives of their troops and the present truce of Putin is being perceived as a breathing time for replenishment of fresh forces and rebuilding shattered defence units. The recent devastating loss has rendered Putin in a very embarrassing position at home and his increasingly domestic concerns are being looked at as a measure to refurbish his spoilt image. At the same time, his government, isolated internationally, has tried to reshape opinions abroad.
World leaders including Biden are wary of the intentions
The truce offer of Russia has not been taken in the right spirit as President Biden said it appeared that Putin was “trying to find some oxygen” with the cease-fire announcement. “I am reluctant to respond to anything Putin says,” Mr Biden remarked. “I found it interesting he was ready to bomb hospitals and nurseries and churches on the 25th and New Year’s.”
The US and its western allies announced to supply of armoured vehicles to Ukraine
The United States and Germany, meanwhile, announced on Thursday that they would supply Ukraine with armoured fighting vehicles for the first time, a day after France did so, though they did not cite numbers. Ukrainian officials have pleaded for months for armoured vehicles like those now promised, the American Bradley Fighting Vehicle, the French AMX-10 RC and the German Marder, as well as Western tanks, which Ukraine’s allies have so far refused to give.
Zelensky seems to be in the driver’s seat
With renewed support from the US and its western allies and with Russian fighting spirits badly bruised by the deadly attack, Zelensky seems to have emboldened his morale to an extent where he will surely try to take advantage of the situation. He has not uprightly rejected the idea of a cease-fire from both sides or/and an end of the war, but he will definitely come out flaunting victory signs.
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