How Did Putin Respond to Zelensky’s Ceasefire Proposal?

Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that he would consider the proposal to halt strikes on civilian infrastructure in Ukraine and did not rule out the possibility of direct negotiations with Kyiv, according to Interfax.

Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had proposed that the Kremlin suspend long-range missile and drone attacks on the country’s civilian infrastructure for 30 days, with the option of extending the period.

Putin noted that the matter should be thoroughly reviewed and added that it could potentially be resolved in a bilateral format:

“This issue must be addressed, as it requires careful consideration — possibly through direct talks,” said Putin.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov clarified that these negotiations could involve direct discussions with Ukraine.

However, Putin suggested that Ukraine has been using civilian infrastructure for military purposes. He referenced the April 13 strike on a congress center in the Sumy region as an example:

“Everyone knows about our strike on the congress center in Sumy. Was it a civilian object? Yes. But a ceremony was being held there to honor those involved in crimes in the Kursk region,” he said, calling the attack "deserved retribution."

This strike resulted in 35 deaths, including children.

“It was carried out as a form of punishment,” Putin emphasized.

Sumy authorities confirmed that a military award ceremony had taken place at the location, but noted that the majority of the victims were civilians. According to reports, military personnel had time to seek shelter, while civilians were caught in the blast.

^{Photo: Congress center in Sumy after the attack}
Following confirmation of the event by Sumy region military administrator Volodymyr Artyukh, Zelensky dismissed him from his position.

Putin also referenced the April 4 strike on the city of Kryvyi Rih, which killed 21 people, including 9 children. According to him, the targeted restaurant was used by soldiers for gatherings and celebrations:

“There were meetings, briefings, celebrations, drinking — all of it. That’s why the strike was launched there. Was it a civilian object? Yes. But the target was military,” he said.

Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed that Ukrainian troops and “Western instructors” were present at the restaurant, though no evidence has been provided to support this.

On April 19, in honor of Easter, Putin declared a 30-hour ceasefire. However, Ukraine reported that Russian forces launched more than 2,000 attacks during that period.

“Still, there were no air raid alerts on Sunday,” said Zelensky.

In turn, Russia accused Ukraine of repeatedly violating the Easter ceasefire. In response, Zelensky submitted another proposal to the Kremlin, urging a 30-day halt to strikes on civilian sites.

How this new initiative will unfold remains a key question in the ongoing Russia–Ukraine conflict. Read 'Zamin' on Telegram!