Russian President, Vladimir Putin, has instructed the Russian Defence Minister to cease fire in Ukraine over Orthodox Christmas, the Kremlin said on Thursday.
The announcement comes after Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Russia’s spiritual leader, Patriarch Kirill, on Thursday called for a ceasefire during the festive season.
President Vladimir Putin is “trying to find some oxygen” by floating a 36-hour ceasefire, US President, Joe Biden, told reporters at the White House on Thursday when asked about Moscow’s truce proposal.
The Kremlin said Putin had ordered a ceasefire from midday on Friday after a call for a Christmas truce from Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church.
Ukraine spurned the offer from Putin for the 36-hour ceasefire over Orthodox Christmas, saying there would be no truce until Russia withdraws its invading forces from occupied land.
There is “little indication so far” that Ukraine plans to abide by Russia’s suggested ceasefire on January 6-7, said FRANCE 24’s Luke Shrago, reporting from Kyiv.
“Ukraine offered its own ceasefire over the period of Christmas on December 25 – something that was outright rejected by Russia,” Shrago said.
Ukrainian Presidential Adviser, Mykhailo Podolyak, on Thursday called the ceasefire proposed by Putin a “cynical trap”.
Turkish President, Tayyip Erdogan, told Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelensky, in a phone call on Thursday that Ankara was ready to take on mediation and moderation duties to secure a lasting peace between Russia and Ukraine.
A readout from Erdogan’s office said Turkey also offered diplomatic support regarding the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station. -(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP)
