Sir Keir Starmer and Volodymyr Zelenskyy discussed putting an end to Russia’s “brutal war” on Ukraine during their recent phone call on Easter Monday, while Vladimir Putin expressed willingness to engage in bilateral talks.
The UK prime minister and Ukrainian president conversed in the afternoon, with Sir Keir reiterating his unwavering support for Ukraine.
A spokesperson from Downing Street stated that the prime minister emphasized the UK’s support for Ukraine’s call for Russia to commit to a full ceasefire, urging Putin to demonstrate seriousness in ending the ongoing conflict.
<p"They also talked about the current progress on the Coalition of the Willing, looking forward to further advancements towards achieving a just and enduring peace," the spokesperson added.
Following the conversation, Mr. Zelenskyy took to social media to describe the discussion with the prime minister as “good and detailed,” mentioning that Ukrainian officials would be in London for talks on resolving the war with Russia on Wednesday.
“We are prepared to move forward positively, just as we have in the past, to achieve an unconditional ceasefire, followed by the establishment of a genuine and lasting peace,” he added.
The Ukrainian president pointed out that the 30-hour Easter ceasefire, which both Kyiv and Moscow accuse each other of violating, highlighted Russia’s prolonging of the conflict.
Simultaneously, Mr. Putin proposed bilateral discussions with Ukraine for a longer ceasefire, marking the first such talks since a failed peace agreement shortly after the invasion in 2022.
In an interview with a state TV reporter, the Russian president expressed openness to a truce, especially during the Easter season, saying, “We are always positive towards a ceasefire, which is why we proposed the Easter truce.”
When questioned about Mr. Zelenskyy’s suggestion to extend the 30-hour ceasefire to a 30-day pause on civilian targets, Putin responded, “This is a matter that needs careful consideration, possibly through bilateral discussions. We do not rule it out.”
The Ukrainian president reported on Sunday evening that the Russian army had breached Putin’s ceasefire over 2,000 times that day, accusing Russia of not honoring its own commitment to peace.
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From Saturday: Why Putin offered an Easter truce?
Additionally, Donald Trump expressed hope for Russia and Ukraine to reach a deal soon, stating that the US would discontinue efforts to broker a peace agreement if there is no tangible progress shortly.
The US president, on his Truth Social platform, announced that both countries could engage in significant trade with the US post-war.
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Recently, Ukraine accepted Mr. Trump’s proposal for a 30-day truce, but Mr. Putin declined to support a full 30-day ceasefire, citing unresolved verification issues.
He did, however, agree not to target Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Nevertheless, accusations of violating the agreement on attacks on energy targets and at sea have been exchanged between both sides.