Zelenskiy says Russian war commemoration ceasefire shows ‘strange logic’
May 7 (Reuters) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Thursday that Russia’s decision to declare a limited ceasefire for World War II commemorations revealed the “bizarre and inappropriate” logic of its leaders.
In his nightly video speech, Zelenskiy said Moscow “wants to hold parades, to come out safely for an hour once a year, and then continue to kill, to kill our people and to wage war.”
“The Russians are already talking about attacks after May 9. It is strange and completely inappropriate for the Russian leadership,” he added.
Zelenskiy’s comments appear to have been prepared before Russia’s defense ministry announced an extended ceasefire – from midnight May 8 to May 10 – to mark the anniversary of Nazi Germany’s defeat in what Russians call the Great Patriotic War.
Speaking when Ukraine’s chief negotiator Rustem Umerov arrived in Miami to hold meetings with US negotiators to move towards a peace agreement, Zelenskiy said that ensuring peace in Europe was the best way to honor those who fought against Nazi Germany.
“Just like 81 years ago, America can now help peace by taking a fair and strong stance against the aggressor,” he said. “And it’s important that the American people now see Russia in exactly that way: as an aggressor.”
Zelenskiy said that Russia continued to violate the ceasefire proposed by Kiev in response to the declared ceasefire, starting from the night of May 5-6. He said Ukraine was receiving “only new Russian attacks and new Russian threats.”
Moscow did not confirm that it would stick to Kiev’s proposal.
Zelenskiy expressed satisfaction with the outcome of Ukraine’s latest long-range attacks, including an attack on a Russian small missile carrier in the Caspian Sea and the second attack in eight days on a Lukoil refinery in Perm near the Ural Mountains.
In previous statements, Zelenskiy said that Russian forces had been attacking Ukraine with unmanned aerial vehicles, missile attacks, artillery fire and front-line attacks since the beginning of the day.
Zelenskiy said, “As a similar response to Russia’s attacks, we will continue our long-term sanctions. And in response to Russia’s desire to turn to diplomacy, we will move forward on the path of diplomacy.” he said.
(Reporting by Ron Popeski, Editing by Bill Berkrot and Rosalba O’Brien)
