Zelensky: Russia invented a three-day ceasefire to postpone US sanctions
Russia is proposing a ceasefire for two to three days to exchange bodies of soldiers, as well as exchange of prisoners of war, not for the sake of the peace process, but to postpone US sanctions, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said .
The President stressed that it is the fifth month since the US has called for a complete ceasefire, and Ukraine has supported this proposal. In return, Russia refuses and proposes a short-term pause in the process, which is already ongoing on the front.
"People of the wrong level, they [the Russian delegation] don't even understand technical matters. Soldiers on the battlefield very often exchange the bodies of their killed. It just happens, and everyone understands that no one shoots during the exchange. These are important moments, but this is done at a technical level, for this there is no need for leaders to gather and fly to Istanbul," the president said.
According to Zelensky, with their proposals, the Russians are trying to create the impression that they are ready for dialogue and a ceasefire.
"This is not true, they are not ready. What they are talking about is not a ceasefire, because at this moment the war and attacks on civilians continue in other areas," he stressed.
Zelensky believes that by taking advantage of Ukraine's desire to return prisoners and bodies of the fallen, Russia is trying to delay US sanctions.
"They understand that we need an exchange and they are feeding the Americans with this so that they will not impose sanctions," the president said.
- The new Istanbul talks lasted a little over an hour , during which Ukraine and Russia agreed to hold a new exchange of prisoners and bodies of the dead .
- Moscow also finally handed over to Kyiv the promised "memorandum" – a vision for ending the war. Ukraine provided the Russian Federation with such a document in advance . The parties will study each other's memoranda for a week .
- Head of the OP Yermak reported that during the meeting in Istanbul , Ukraine handed over to Russia a list of illegally deported Ukrainian children who need to be returned .
- The head of the Russian delegation, Vladimir Medinsky, stated that during the meeting in Istanbul, Kyiv and Moscow agreed on a temporary ceasefire in certain areas of the front so that the bodies of the dead could be recovered.