Photo: Press service of the President of Ukraine
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of deliberately delaying peace talks and continuing to escalate the war. He stressed that the Kremlin had not yet provided an adequate response to the US initiative to launch a ceasefire and called on the international community to put more decisive pressure on Moscow.
“For too long, America’s proposal for an unconditional ceasefire has gone unanswered by Russia. A truce could have already been achieved if there was real pressure on the Kremlin,” Zelenskyy said in his evening address.
Trump tries to stop the war, but fighting continues
The administration of US President Donald Trump has made a peaceful settlement in Ukraine one of its top diplomatic priorities. Washington announced an agreement between Kyiv and Moscow on a truce in the Black Sea and the development of measures to protect energy infrastructure.
However, even after the announcement of the initiative, Russia continued its attacks. Over the past 24 hours, Russian troops attacked Ukrainian territory with 170 drones, striking Kyiv, Dnipro, Sumy, Kharkiv and Khmelnytskyi regions.
Moscow and Kyiv exchange accusations
Despite the negotiations, the war continues. Russia and Ukraine accuse each other of strikes on energy infrastructure. A representative of the Russian delegation, Grigory Karasin, said that talks with Washington may not yield concrete results in 2025.
At the same time, the Russian Ministry of Defence announced the seizure of two settlements – Shchebraky in Zaporizhzhia region and Panteleimonivka in Donetsk region.
Zelensky: “Russia mocks peace initiatives”
The Ukrainian president stressed that Moscow uses any diplomatic initiatives as a cover for continuing hostilities.
“Russia is mocking the world’s peacekeeping efforts. It continues war and terror because it does not yet feel real pressure,” Zelenskyy said.
Will the United States be able to put pressure on the Kremlin and force it to sit down at a real negotiating table? The answer to this question will be crucial for the future of Ukraine and international security.
