ISTANBUL, Turkiye: A ceasefire proposed by Kyiv and set to begin today (May 6) reflects its “genuine desire for peace”, a senior Ukrainian official said Tuesday, Anadolu Ajansi reported.
Kyrylo Budanov said Ukraine would continue the truce if Russia responds in kind.
“If the cessation of fire announced by the president is reciprocated, we will continue it,” he said, adding that “this will give us, however small, a glimmer of hope for establishing a lasting peace”.
He said the proposal by Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, is not tied to specific dates “for the sake of imposing ideological dogmas, but for the sake of preserving human life and restoring security”.
Budanov said Zelenskyy has demonstrated his commitment to peace by putting forward the ceasefire.
“The next step is up to the Russian Federation. Is Moscow ready to prove that human life holds at least some value for them?” he said.
“We are closely watching every move of the enemy and are prepared for any developments.”
On Monday, the Russian Defence Ministry announced a ceasefire for May 8-9 “in honour of the celebration of the Soviet people’s victory in the Great Patriotic War”.
In a statement on Telegram, the ministry said Moscow would take “all necessary” measures to ensure security during the celebrations and warned of a “massive” retaliatory missile strike if the celebratory is disrupted.
Following that announcement, Zelenskyy declared a ceasefire with Russia “starting at 00:00 on the night of May 5-6” (Kyiv time), saying “human life is far more valuable than any anniversary celebration”.
He added that no official request had been made to Ukraine regarding the “cessation of hostilities” announced by Moscow during Victory Day celebrations in Russia.
“In the time left until that moment, it is realistic to ensure that silence takes effect,” he said on US social media company X, adding that Ukraine would respond in kind once the truce begins. – BERNAMA-ANADOLU
