Kremlin Demands Ukraine Pursue Peace Rather Than Easter Ceasefire

(MENAFN) Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov on Tuesday urged Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to focus on negotiating a peace settlement rather than a temporary ceasefire.

Reacting to Zelenskyy’s suggestion of a possible truce during Orthodox Easter, Peskov described the proposal as ambiguous.

"From the statements by Zelenskyy that we have read, we did not see a clearly formulated initiative for an 'Easter truce,'" he said.

Peskov suggested that Kyiv’s push for a ceasefire is linked to unfavorable conditions on the battlefield.

"He spoke, as always, about readiness to agree to a ceasefire—any ceasefire, even an Easter one," Peskov noted.

He further elaborated on the situation on the front lines: "The Kyiv regime desperately needs a ceasefire, any ceasefire, because the dynamics on the front, which, incidentally, are being monitored not only by our specialists but also by foreign ones, indicate that Russian forces—faster, somewhere slower—are advancing along the entire front line."

"Zelenskyy must take responsibility and make an appropriate decision so that we move toward peace, not just a truce," Peskov emphasized.

Easter dates differ this year: Catholic and Protestant Christians will celebrate on April 5, while Orthodox Christians in Russia and Ukraine will observe the holiday on April 12. The discrepancy arises from the Orthodox Church’s use of the Julian calendar versus the Gregorian calendar followed by Western churches.

On Ukraine’s drone strikes against the Russian port of Ust-Luga in the Leningrad region, Peskov warned of possible consequences if European Union nations allow their airspace to be used for attacks.

"We believe that if airspace is being provided for hostile, terrorist activities against the Russian Federation, this will compel us to draw appropriate conclusions and take appropriate measures," he said.

While Russia is actively protecting critical infrastructure, Peskov acknowledged that complete security cannot always be guaranteed. He stressed ongoing efforts to safeguard Ust-Luga and other key facilities.

"Intensive work is underway. This applies not only to the aforementioned port but also to all other critical infrastructure facilities," he said. "The main thing here is how our military analyzes the situation; they are carefully monitoring it, analyzing it, and making appropriate proposals, which are then considered."

Regarding potential high-level talks with Cuba following Russia’s humanitarian aid delivery, Peskov said cooperation continues at the working level.
"A telephone conversation between Putin and the leadership of Cuba is not yet scheduled, but if necessary, it can be organized quickly," he said.

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