Russia does not strive for lasting peace, but aims to freeze the conflict in order to renew its aggression at a more convenient time. This was stated by the head of the Ukrainian President's Office Andriy Yermak in an author's article for The Guardian newspaper, quoted by Ukrinform, BTA reports.
„Today, Putin is counting on the fatigue of the West. He does not want to end the war, but to put it on pause. Therefore, any truce without real guarantees and justice will only open the door to new aggression. Concessions, easing sanctions or negotiations on the Kremlin's terms are a trap. "You can't talk about peace while arming yourself for the next attack," Ermak stressed.
He points out that Moscow has not changed its goals - on the contrary, it is using diplomatic initiatives to buy time, regroup, circumvent sanctions and prepare new strikes.
According to Ermak, the only path to sustainable peace is through defeating the Kremlin's imperial ambitions, not through a "temporary truce" that legitimizes aggression.
Ermak's comments come shortly after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a unilateral ceasefire for the period May 8-10 on the occasion of Victory Day in World War II. In response, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the war could stop immediately, without waiting for a symbolic date.
White House spokeswoman Caroline Levitt also stressed that US President Donald Trump is pushing for a permanent ceasefire to end the bloodshed.