Kyiv holds talks with US and EU on 30-day ceasefire – Presidential Office
Photo: Andriy Yermak, Head of the Presidential Office (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
Ukraine held online meetings with partners from the US, the EU, Northern Europe, and the Baltics regarding a 30-day ceasefire. US President’s special envoys Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg participated in the negotiations, the Head of the Office of the President (OP) Andriy Yermak reports.
As the head of the OP writes, the following were present during the negotiations:
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Witkoff and Kellogg;
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diplomatic advisor to the President of France Emmanuel Bonne;
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advisor to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Jonathan Powell;
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advisor to the Chancellor of Germany, Günter Sautter.
From the Ukrainian side, the following took part in the meetings:
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Minister of Defense of Ukraine Rustem Umerov;
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Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha;
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Deputy Head of the President’s Office Ihor Zhovkva;
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Chief Operating Officer of Bring Kids Back UA Daria Zarivna;
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Non-staff advisor to the Head of the President’s Office, Oleksandr Bevz.
According to Yermak, during the negotiations, Ukraine emphasized that a complete and unconditional ceasefire must become the first step toward a just and lasting peace. At the same time, the Kremlin’s proposal for a so-called “three-day ceasefire” was concerned only with the safe conduct of the parade in Moscow and was a political manipulation.
“We also discussed tools of pressure in case Russia refuses the initiative or violates the agreements. A thirty-day ceasefire is a test of sincerity. If Moscow really wants peace – it’s time to act. If it chooses escalation – the response must be united and decisive,” Yermak added.
In the same message, the Head of the OP added that Ukraine supports Senator Lindsey Graham’s bill on secondary sanctions against Russia.
Russian ceasefires
Over the past few months, the United States has been conducting separate negotiations with Ukraine and Russia to find ways to end the war. During contact with the Ukrainian side, Washington put forward an initiative for a full ceasefire, and Kyiv immediately expressed agreement with the proposal. At the same time, Moscow began putting forward its own conditions.
After this, Russia repeatedly declared so-called “ceasefires,” but none of them were observed.
Recently, dictator Vladimir Putin announced another temporary ceasefire, allegedly for humanitarian purposes, which is to last from May 8 to 11. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that Kyiv is ready to support a ceasefire if Russia acts accordingly.
