SCHEMING Vladimir Putin has announced another temporary ceasefire in Ukraine for Russia’s Victory Day, a mere few hours after Donald Trump ordered the dictator to “sign a deal”.
A four-day ceasefire in Ukraine will begin from midnight on 8 May until May 11, based around Russia’s 80th anniversary celebrations marking the end of the Second World War.
APPutin speaks during a news conference with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko[/caption]
GettyA woman is helped from the rubble after a strike in Kyiv on 24 April[/caption]
ReutersUkrainian service members of the 25th Sicheslav Airborne Brigade fire a BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launch system towards Russian troops[/caption]
The Kremlin said on Telegram that Russia “believes that the Ukrainian side should follow this example” – and chillingly warned of a response if it didn’t.
The statement read: “In case of violation of the ceasefire by the Ukrainian side, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation will provide an adequate and effective response.
“The Russian side once again declares its readiness for peace negotiations without preconditions, aimed at eliminating the root causes of the Ukrainian crisis, and constructive interaction with international partners.”
Putin had previously announced a 30-hour ceasefire in Ukraine over the Easter weekend – but Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian troops violated it nearly 3,000 times.
It comes hours after Trump urged the Russian dictator to “sit down and sign a deal” as he said Ukraine’s battlefields are covered in body parts.
The US President had a meeting with Zelensky before Pope Francis‘ funeral in the Vatican on Saturday – leading Trump to blast Putin for “tapping him along”.
He posted to Truth Social on Saturday: “There was no reason for Putin to be shooting missiles into civilian areas, cities and towns, over the last few days.
“It makes me think that maybe he doesn’t want to stop the war, he’s just tapping me along, and has to be dealt with differently, through ‘Banking’ or ‘Secondary Sanctions?’ Too many people are dying!!!”
Trump also said on Sunday he was both “surprised and disappointed, very disappointed” that mad Vlad continued to bomb Ukraine – despite the dictator engaging in crunch talks with US peace envoy Steve Witkoff.
The pair held three-hour “constructive and very useful” talks, according to Witkoff.
And Trump said he thought Russia and Ukraine were “very close to a deal” with “most of the major points agreed”.
Prior to the talks, Putin flagrantly ignored Trump’s demands to end Russia’s barbaric attacks on civilian targets and launched vicious missile attacks that pounded Kyiv last Wednesday night.
Speaking to reporters at an airport in New Jersey yesterday, the Republican said: “I was very disappointed that missiles were flying, by Russia.”
And, upon being asked what he wanted Putin to do, Trump responded: “Well, I want him to stop shooting. Sit down and sign the deal.”
Displaying similar impatience to Secretary of State Marco Rubio last week on the lack of peace progress, Trump added: “We have the confines of a deal, I believe, and I want him to sign it and be done with it.”
The President revealed he would find out “in about two weeks” whether he actually trusts Putin.
When asked what two weeks would mean, he added: “Two weeks or less, and if it’s a little more at the time, I say they’re losing a lot of people.
“We have three, four thousand people dying every week.”
EPAUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, right, meeting with US President Donald J. Trump, left, in Saint Peter’s Cathedral[/caption]
ReutersSmoke rises in the sky over the city of Kyiv after a Russian drone strike[/caption]
EPARescuers work at the site of a drone strike in Kharkiv, Ukraine[/caption]
Trump even described seeing “horrible” satellite images of “body parts laying all over the field” – and believes “it can’t get any worse”.
In order to secure long-lasting peace in Ukraine, Trump believes Zelensky is ready to give up Crimea.
Up until this point, Kyiv has remained defiant on Crimea, warning that Ukraine would never accept territorial concessions in any US-brokered deal.
After being asked if Zelensky was prepared to relinquish control of the country’s southern peninsula that was illegally annexed by Russia in 2014, Trump said: “I think so.”
He added that the meeting between the pair in the Vatican had “gone well” and that Crimea had been “very briefly” discussed.
Appearing to draw a comparison with their White House shouting match, Trump said he saw Zelensky as “calmer,” and that the Ukrainian president “understands the picture”.
Trump and Zelensky’s impromptu meeting took place inside the holy St Peter’s Basilica with the pair both pulling up chairs to have an intense one-on-one conversation.
The pair were spotted with French President Emmanuel Macron and Sir Keir Starmer while the chairs were being set up for the meeting.
Following the funeral, Zelensky said: “We discussed a lot one on one. Hoping for results on everything we covered. Protecting lives of our people.
“Full and unconditional ceasefire. Reliable and lasting peace that will prevent another war from breaking out.
“Very symbolic meeting that has potential to become historic, if we achieve joint results.”
The White House also described it a “very productive discussion”.
The Trump administration’s proposed peace plan would let Russia keep most of the Ukrainian territory it has seized so far, The Telegraph has reported.
But the plans as reported make no reference to security guarantees for Kyiv.
Trump’s seven-point peace plan
THE US has drafted up a seven-point plan which, it hopes, will draw a path to peace between Ukraine and Russia.
A source with knowledge of the plan revealed the content of the main points, reports The Telegraph:
Immediate ceasefire in Ukraine
Direct talks between Ukraine and Russia
Ukraine to be barred from joining Nato
US to formally recognise Russian sovereignty over Crimea
US to give de-facto recognition of four Ukrainian territories occupied by Russia along current lines of control
Ukraine to sign minerals deal to share profits on natural resources with the US
All US sanctions lifted on Russia and both countries co-operate on energy
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