Cessation of fire proclaimed by Putin was cynical – Kallas
High Representative of the European Union Kaja Kallas called the cessation of fire proclaimed by Vladimir Putin cynical, noting that its only goal was merely to protect the military parade in Moscow on May 9.
She made the corresponding comment in Brussels on Monday, speaking about the agenda of the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting, which will also discuss the war waged by Russia against Ukraine.
"Of course, we saw that the cessation of fire that Putin wanted was very cynical, only to protect his parade, while they were actually attacking civilians in Ukraine. Ukraine observed the cessation of fire, as it had previously offered a cessation of fire unconditionally, but Russia did not actually maintain it," Kallas stated.
She also confirmed that "today we also expect progress with sanctions aimed at people who help work with Ukrainian children whom they deported from Ukraine."
"We also have high-level events planned regarding Ukrainian children, how to actually return them, and what else the international community can do, because what they are doing to these children is terrible," Kallas reminded.
As reported, on May 10, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that for two days Ukraine refrained from long-range actions in response to the absence of Russia mass attacks. "It is good that as of now, there were no mass attacks today—missile strikes or aviation strikes. But in frontline areas, in communities near the front, there was no peace. Russians continue their assault activity in directions that are key for them. There is shelling, there were drone strikes of various types at the front. Over yesterday and today, there have already been more than 150 assault actions, more than a hundred shellings, and almost ten thousand kamikaze drone strikes. That is, at the front, the Russian army does not observe silence and does not even particularly try," he said.
Regarding the absence of Russia mass attacks and Ukraine’s restraint from long-range response actions, the president stated: "in the future, we will react in the same mirror-like way, and if the Russians decide to return to full-format war—our sanctions for this will be immediate and will be tangible."