Putin says Easter ceasefire is over, Russia 'positive' on peace proposals
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends the Orthodox Easter service at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow, Russia April 20, 2025. Sputnik/Ramil Sitdikov/Pool via REUTERS/ File Photo
Putin says Easter ceasefire is over, Russia 'positive' on peace proposals
MOSCOW - Fighting in Ukraine has resumed after the Easter ceasefire, Russia's President Vladimir Putin said on Monday, adding that Moscow was open to any peace initiatives and expected similar attitude from Kyiv.
Both Ukraine and Russia accused each other of thousands of strikes and violating the Kremlin's unilateral ceasefire during the Easter celebrations.
"We always have a positive attitude towards a truce, which is why we came up with such an initiative, especially since we are talking about the bright Easter days," Putin told a state TV reporter, Pavel Zarubin.
"We have always talked about this, that we have a positive attitude towards any peace initiatives. We hope that representatives of the Kyiv regime will feel the same way," he added.
Washington had said it would welcome an extension of the truce, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy reiterated several times Ukraine's willingness to agree a pause strikes on civilian infrastructure for 30 days in the war.
Putin said Russia has to carefully study this and other proposals. REUTERS
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Kyiv rejects Russia's claims that Ukraine is delaying exchange of soldiers' bodies
Servicemen of 127th Separate Brigade of the Territorial Defence of the Ukrainian Armed Forces fire a howitzer towards Russian troops in a front line, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kharkiv region, Ukraine May 23, 2025. Anatolii Lysianskyi/Press Service of the 127th Separate Brigade of the Territorial Defence of the Ukrainian Armed Forces/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo KYIV - Russia's claims that Ukraine is delaying exchange of soldiers' bodies are untrue, Ukrainian officials said on Saturday, urging Moscow to stop "playing dirty games" and return to constructive work. Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky said on Saturday that Ukraine had unexpectedly postponed exchanging prisoners of war and accepting the bodies of killed soldiers for an indefinite period. Russia and Ukraine held the second round of peace talks in Istanbul on Monday where they agreed to exchange more prisoners - focusing on the youngest and most severely wounded - and to return the bodies of 12,000 dead soldiers. "Today's statements by the Russian side do not correspond to reality or to previous agreements on either the exchange of prisoners or the repatriation of bodies," Ukraine's state-run Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War said on the Telegram messenger. It said that the agreement on the repatriation of the bodies had indeed been reached, but that no date had been agreed upon and that "the Russian side had resorted to unilateral actions" that had not been agreed within the framework of the process. Medinsky said Russia had also handed over to Ukraine the first list of 640 prisoners of war, categorised as "wounded, seriously ill and young people," in order to begin the exchange. Ukraine, in turn, stated that it had also handed over the names for exchange, while Russia's lists did not correspond to the agreed approach as to which prisoners would be prioritised in the exchange. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Milei meets Pope Leo, confirms visit to Argentina
Pope Leo XIV meets with Argentina's President Javier Milei at the Vatican, June 7, 2025. Vatican Media/Mario Tomassetti/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. Pope Leo XIV poses for pictures with Argentina's President Javier Milei at the Vatican, June 7, 2025. Vatican Media/Mario Tomassetti/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. Pope Leo XIV meets with Argentina's President Javier Milei at the Vatican, June 7, 2025. Vatican Media/Mario Tomassetti/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. Pope Leo XIV meets with Argentina's President Javier Milei and his sister, Argentina's General Secretary of the Presidency, Karina Milei at the Vatican, June 7, 2025. Vatican Media/Mario Tomassetti/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. Pope Leo XIV meets with Argentina's President Javier Milei at the Vatican, June 7, 2025. Vatican Media/Mario Tomassetti/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. BUENOS AIRES - Argentina's President Javier Milei held his first official audience with Pope Leo at the Vatican on Saturday where he confirmed that the pontiff will visit the South American country, according to the presidential spokesman. No further details of the planned visit were disclosed on Saturday. Milei had a tense relationship with Pope Francis, the late Argentine pope who never returned to his native country during his 12-year papacy, potentially signaling the start of a new diplomatic chapter. "The Pope confirmed to the President during our recent meeting that he will visit Argentina," Manuel Adorni, the presidential spokesperson wrote via social media. The papal visit could take place as soon as next year, according to Argentina's daily newspaper La Nación, as part of a tour that would include stops in Uruguay and Peru, where Leo, the first U.S. pope, resided for nearly 20 years. Milei, a libertarian and ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, was not present at the inauguration ceremony of the new head of the Catholic Church due to local legislative elections he was required to attend. Discussions between the two parties on Saturday were described as "cordial" and addressed issues of "common interest such as socioeconomic progress, the fight against poverty, and the commitment to social cohesion, in addition to addressing ongoing conflicts," the Vatican later said in a statement. Milei met Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Friday in Rome as part of his visit, where an agreement between Italian energy group Eni and Argentina's state-owned energy firm YPF was signed. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Straits Times
‘Return to your country': Kabul tells Afghans rebuffed by Washington
Since Mr Trump returned to the White House in January, Afghans have gradually seen their chances of migrating to the United States or staying there shrink. PHOTO: REUTERS KABUL - The Taliban government on June 7 urged Afghans hoping to emigrate to the United States to instead return to Afghanistan, after Washington tightened entry conditions. US President Donald Trump this week announced a travel ban targeting 12 countries, including Afghanistan, which his proclamation said lacked 'competent' central authorities for processing passports and vetting. Commenting on the ban on June 7, Prime Minister Mohammad Hassan Akhund urged Afghans to return to their country, saying they would be protected even if they worked with US-led forces in the two-decade fight against the Taliban insurgency. 'For those who are worried that America has closed its doors to Afghans... I want to tell them, 'Return to your country, even if you have served the Americans for 20 or 30 years for their ends, and ruined the Islamic system',' he said in a speech marking the Eid al-Adha holiday, broadcast by state media. 'You will not face abuse or trouble,' he said, making reassurances that the Taliban Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada had 'granted amnesty for all'. After surging to power in 2021, Taliban authorities announced a general amnesty for Afghans who worked with the Western-backed forces and government. However, the United Nations has recorded reports of extrajudicial killings, detentions and abuses. In the past four years, the Taliban government has imposed a strict view of Islamic law and restrictions on women which the UN says amount to 'gender apartheid'. Afghans fled in droves to neighbouring countries during decades of conflict, but the chaotic withdrawal of US-led troops saw a new wave clamouring to escape Taliban government curbs and fears of reprisal for working with Washington. The US has not had a working embassy in Afghanistan since 2021 and Afghans must apply for visas in third countries, principally Pakistan, which has recently ramped up campaigns to expel Afghans. Since Mr Trump returned to the White House in January, Afghans have gradually seen their chances of migrating to the US or staying there shrink. Trump administration orders have disrupted refugee pathways and revoked legal protections temporarily shielding Afghans from deportation starting in July. AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
