EU insists that complete ceasefire by Russia is necessary for negotiations to begin
The European Union continues to insist that any peace talks can only begin after Russia unconditionally agrees to cease fire.
Source: European Commission spokeswoman Anitta Hipper on 12 May at a briefing in Brussels, as reported by European Pravda
Details: Hipper said that Russia must cease fire before peace talks can begin.
"Our position is clear that we support the proposal of an unconditional 30-day ceasefire starting today. Also, President Zelenskyy has accepted the proposal without preconditions, also reaffirming Ukraine's repeated willingness to agree to a ceasefire. So now Russia must respond just as clearly, and a ceasefire is urgently needed for the peace talks to take place," Hipper said.
She added that "in order to go into any peace talks, we should have a clear, unconditional ceasefire".
Hipper stressed that the European Union "needs to continue to put pressure on Russia" because as Kaja Kallas, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Police, said, "they are playing games and you cannot trust Putin".
Background:
As reported, the German government said that if a ceasefire is not established in Ukraine by the end of Monday, Berlin, together with its European partners, will begin the process of preparing new sanctions against Russia.
On Saturday 10 May, Germany, France, the UK and Poland called on Russia to agree to a 30-day ceasefire starting on Monday.
Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin did not respond to the proposal for a 30-day pause in hostilities, but said he was ready for direct talks with Kyiv in Istanbul on Thursday 15 May.
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