Moscow's calculations regarding a potential fire termination agreement. Has Putin managed to convince Trump of his good intentions?
The 30-hour peacekeeper declared unilaterally by Russian President Vladimir Putin seems to have been dedicated to Donald Trump, at the same time meant to blame Ukraine because peace efforts prove disastrous, CNN shows in an analysis of Russia's signals.
Moscow unilaterally declared a shutterstock photo Easter armistice
The announcement of Moscow was an unexpected one – simultaneously its implementation was not full, and Russia did not immediately show it to expand it.
When Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Saturday, a 30 -hour fire cease, there is already skepticism in Ukraine – beyond that, there are no signs that it meant something more than a public relations decision, not lacking in some cynicism, against the background of the growing critics that Moscow became.
But the initiative also sent the signal that if he wishes, Putin can suspend the conflict at any time, supplying the hope that the short deposit of weapons could be resumed so that it is the beginning of something more substantial, may even create space for a serious peace process to gain shape.
Instead, Moscow left the Easter armistice to expire at midnight on Sunday, no extra moment. Ukraine has asked Russia to expand the cessation of fire beyond the temporary break. But as far as it is known, there were not even discussions about an extended armistice. It is a sign that Moscow is not willing to make a way for the beginning of the end of the war.
From the moment the weapons were silent-or so should-at 18.00, Moscow Hour, on Saturday, large-scale violations were reported on both sides. The Ukrainian army has accused Russian forces of launching 2,935 attacks along the front line, including 1,882 incidents of bombing and 96 ground attacks.
But the Kremlin's cries of revolt on the violations of the armistice that Kiev is guilty seem to the ears of Donald Trump.
Thus, Russian officials claimed that nearly 5,000 Ukrainian violations took place, reiterating that a longer period of fire – like a total 30 -day armistice proposed by Trump and already agreed by Kiev, but rejected by Moscow – is not viable.
“Ukraine, not observing the Easter armistice proposed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, showed that he is not able to cease the fire for even 30 hours.”the general ambassador of the Russian Foreign Ministry for the crimes of the Kiev regime, Rodion Mirșnik, on the Kremlin television, said on Sunday.
From the perspective of the Kremlin, the temporary armistice was a gesture of goodwill that exposed the Ukrainian leadership and their European supporters, as the true obstacle to a Trump Agreement.
The White House has repeatedly echoed on the Kremlin's discussion points in the past, raising questions about the US attitude about a peace agreement.
In Moscow, a state of increasing anxiety was probably created about what could happen if an unpredictable trump decides to abandon his peace efforts in Ukraine, as he threatened to do if there is no progress.
It can be assumed that Putin's main concern is that Trump will blame Russia, strengthen US support for Kiev, and impose new hard economic sanctions to Moscow, putting an end to the potential benefits of a reconfiguration of US and Russia.
The US remain “engaged to achieve a full and comprehensive ceasefire“, A spokesman for the State Department said on Sunday, after Kiev accused Moscow of repeatedly violated the armistice.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said last week that Washington could decide to give up efforts to end the Ukrainian conflict in “days” if no progress of negotiations is being seen.
To convince Trump that Ukraine, and not Russia, is responsible for a possible final failure of its peace process is, therefore, an important objective of the Kremlin and was probably a key reason why the Easter armistice was declared.
Before ending on Sunday night, the Kremlin explaining that Putin did not give an order to extend the cessation of fire, there were indications that Trump remained employed in negotiations – a little for now.
“We hope that Russia and Ukraine will end an agreement this week. Both will then begin to do big businesses with the United States, which is flourishing, and they will make fortune,” Trump posted on Sunday Sunday in capital letters, as he returned from a golf course he owns outside Washington.
The words have been optimistic, and Trump, for now, seems unusually optimistic that the parties can conclude an agreement, despite the hopes of the weekend of a positive evolution in the end of the Ukraine war, CNN concludes.
