The Russian army is now advancing, while the Ukrainian armed forces are getting exhausted. If a ceasefire is declared now, the Ukrainian troops will be able to strengthen their positions, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated at his year-end press conference, Kommersant reports.
Also, Putin emphasized that the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, refuses the ceasefire.
“It’s worth stopping for a week; it means giving the adversary a chance to strengthen in those positions. We do not need a ceasefire, but a long-term peace,” said the Russian president.
According to Putin, Russia had agreed to conclude a deal with Ukraine three times, but Ukraine had always violated the agreements.
The Russian president added that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban proposed a Christmas truce “for a day or two.” In response, Putin asked him to clarify Ukraine’s position first, but Kyiv rejected the proposal for both a ceasefire and an exchange of prisoners.
The Russian president noted that the task of ensuring guarantees for the maintenance of the ceasefire is difficult, but solutions “can be found.”