Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin effectively rejected a US proposal for a full ceasefire on Tuesday and called on the international community to prevent Moscow from prolonging its war against Ukraine.
Putin agreed to temporarily halt attacks on Ukrainian energy facilities but refused to support a full 30-day ceasefire, which was the initial step towards a permanent peace deal proposed by US President Donald Trump.
Zelensky, who had consented to the 30-day ceasefire, indicated support for Putin’s limited ceasefire proposal after the call between Putin and Trump on Tuesday.
“We would support this,” Zelensky said in a hastily arranged online briefing, in response to a question about a potential moratorium on energy strikes.
However, after Moscow launched more than 40 drones at Ukrainian civilian infrastructure shortly after, Zelensky urged the world to take action against Putin.
“Today, Putin effectively rejected the proposal for a full ceasefire,” Zelensky said in a Telegram post. “It would be right for the world to reject any attempts by Putin to drag out the war.”
The White House said the phone call between Trump and Putin was intended to advance a broader peace plan, with additional talks set to begin in Saudi Arabia.
RUSSIA ATTACKS AFTER TRUMP-PUTIN CALL
Later on Tuesday, Russian drone attacks hit a hospital in Sumy, and Moscow carried out strikes on several other regions in Ukraine, including the Kyiv area, according to Zelensky and his officials.
“Russia is attacking civilian infrastructure and people – right now,” said Andriy Yermak, Zelensky’s chief of staff, on Telegram.
Russia had no immediate comment about the attacks, which occurred just hours after the Putin-Trump conversation. Both countries claim their strikes are targeting each other’s infrastructure critical to their war efforts.
Zelensky informed reporters that since the first round of talks in Saudi Arabia earlier in March, Russia had launched over 1,300 guided bombs, eight missiles, and nearly 600 long-range strike drones at Ukraine.
He mentioned that Ukraine had proposed a ceasefire on energy infrastructure during those discussions.
“This was part of our proposal for the sky and the sea, with American mediation to control the implementation of the ceasefire,” Zelensky explained.
Ukraine has targeted Russian oil infrastructure, such as refineries, using long-range combat drones, while Russia has continued to fire missiles and drones deep behind the front lines in Ukraine since the full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Russian attacks have notably targeted Ukrainian power stations, causing widespread blackouts, and recently, natural gas production sites.
PHONE CALL DIPLOMACY
Following the Putin-Trump call, Zelensky held talks with French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, all key European allies.
“We are in constant communication. I am confident that there will be no betrayal from our partners, and that assistance will continue,” Zelensky said after his calls with Macron, Scholz, and when asked about Putin’s earlier comment, which emphasized that any resolution would require an end to all military and intelligence support to Ukraine.
Zelensky said that Putin’s demands, including one to limit Ukraine’s draft of civilians into the armed forces, seemed aimed at weakening Ukraine.
