It's Up to The Russians - Zelenskyy on Ceasefire Proposal

At a press conference with journalists, Volodymyr Zelensky explained why Ukraine supports the U.S.-backed ceasefire proposal, Orda.kz reports.

None of us trust the Russians —we’ve been through this. But we won’t play into the narrative that we don’t want the war to end, which Russia is spreading worldwide. I take this very seriously, and ending the war is my priority. I want the U.S. president, the American people, Europe, and everyone else to see and understand that we must do everything possible to force Russia to stop this war, Zelenskyy stated.

He emphasized that the following steps depend entirely on whether Russia is willing to accept a ceasefire. The U.S. has taken action, and Ukraine has clarified its stance, leaving no room for misinterpretation. 

At the same time, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov advised "not to rush" with decisions on the ceasefire.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump announced that U.S. officials are currently in Russia for talks on Ukraine, warning of severe sanctions if negotiations fail, according to the BBC’s Russian service.

I can do things financially that would be very bad for Russia. I don't want to do that because I want to get peace, Trump said.

On March 11, U.S. and Ukrainian delegations in Jeddah agreed to a 30-day ceasefire proposal.

Additionally, the White House announced that Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, will travel to Moscow this week. During his visit, he intends to persuade Russia to sign the ceasefire agreement.

Trump’s National Security Advisor, Mike Waltz, held a phone conversation with his Russian counterpart, as confirmed by the White House. However, officials did not disclose whom Waltz spoke with, and no further details about the discussions were provided.

Original Author: Raushan Korzhumbekova