Head of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak spoke via video conferences with partners from the United States, the European Union, the Nordic and Baltic states to discuss the initiative for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire.
That’s according to Yermak’s Telegram post.
“On top agenda is the implementation of the initiative for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire, backed by Ukraine during the March meeting in Jeddah at the proposal of the United States,” he noted.
According to the official, the talks involved Stephen Witkoff and Keith Kellogg from the U.S., French president’s diplomatic advisor Emmanuel Bonn, advisor to the UK Prime Minister Jonathan Powell, and advisor to the Chancellor of Germany Guenter Sautter.
From the Ukrainian side, the talks also involved Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration Ihor Zhovkva, and Advisors to the Head of the President’s Office Daria Zarivna and Oleksandr Bevz.
“We emphasized: a complete and unconditional ceasefire should be the first step toward a just and lasting peace,” Yermak noted.
The Head of the Presidential Office emphasized that “the Kremlin’s proposal for a three-day ceasefire is not about peace, but about holding a safe parade in Moscow. This is political manipulation.”
In addition, the parties discussed pressure tools in the event that Russia snubs the initiative or violates the agreements.
According to Yermak, “a 30-day ceasefire is a test of sincerity. If Moscow really wants peace, it is time to act. If they choose escalation, the response must be joint and resolute.”
We support the bill initiated by U.S. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham on secondary sanctions against Russia. This is an important signal of unity and readiness to defend the international order, the head of the Office added.
As Ukrinform reported earlier, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine’s proposal for a 30-day ceasefire remains in force in order to give diplomacy a chance.
On April 28, Russian President Vladimir Putin unilaterally declared a three-day truce for May 8-10 in honor of Victory Day, celebrated in Russia.
Zelensky said that there is no need to wait for May 8, as Putin claimed, because a ceasefire could start immediately.
White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt, commenting on Putin’s statement, said U.S. President Donald Trump wanted to see a permanent ceasefire in Ukraine to stop the bloodshed.
Source: Political manipulation: Zelensky’s Office chief on Kremlin's proposal for 3-day ceasefire
