Kremlin affirms Moscow supports ceasefire in spite of Kiev’s breaches

(MENAFN) The Kremlin has affirmed its commitment to a US-brokered ceasefire agreement despite Ukraine’s continued attacks on energy infrastructure, which violate the terms of the truce. Dmitry Peskov, President Vladimir Putin's spokesperson, stated on Wednesday that although Ukraine launched multiple attacks targeting a natural gas reservoir and power grid segments, Russia would not abandon the ceasefire.

Peskov acknowledged Ukraine’s failure to comply with the agreement, citing the recent attacks as evidence. However, he emphasized that the Russian military would continue to honor the pause in strikes.

The ceasefire was negotiated last week between US President Donald Trump and Putin, aimed at reducing hostilities, particularly targeting energy infrastructure. Despite Ukraine's breaches, Peskov highlighted that the moratorium signifies progress in improving US-Russia relations and reiterated that specific types of targets were protected under the truce, as discussed during consultations in Saudi Arabia earlier this week.

Moscow suspects that Ukraine’s actions are intended to disrupt US mediation efforts toward a broader ceasefire agreement. The Russian Foreign Ministry previously warned that such provocations could lead Russia to withdraw from the agreement.

Additionally, discussions in Riyadh focused on reviving the Black Sea Grain Initiative, a security framework designed to ensure the safety of civilian transport to and from Ukrainian ports. Russia had rejected the renewal of the initiative in 2023, citing Ukraine’s use of the agreement for military purposes and the West’s failure to ease sanctions to facilitate food and fertilizer exports. Peskov assured that the initiative could be reactivated if past commitments to Russia are honored.

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