Vladimir Putin’s Easter “truce” in Russia’s war with Ukraine is a ploy whose cynicism was apparent as soon as his forces continued their attacks in breach of his own ceasefire.
Some see in his willingness even to contemplate such a move a sign that he might be ready to agree to a peace deal. But Easter was a convenient point at which to try to keep a gullible US president on board amid indications that Donald Trump was losing patience with the Russian leader.
Mr Trump said he could end the war in a day, or at least by Easter, yet has palpably failed on both counts. He proposed a 30-day ceasefire, which Ukraine agreed to, but Moscow did not unless a long list of conditions, unacceptable to Kyiv, were met.
At the weekend, Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, said there would be little point continuing with the process if Putin remained so stubborn. At which point the Easter truce was announced.
It is hard not to see this as another attempt by the Kremlin to string Mr Trump along and separate Washington further from Ukraine where there are fears the Americans will lose interest and stop arms supplies and assistance.
The greatest insult after three years of bombardment is for the Russian leader to claim he was acting out of “humanitarian” considerations. If that were so he would stop the conflict today and withdraw his forces.
Volodymyr Zelensky said that while the Russian army was attempting to create the general impression of a ceasefire there were still isolated attempts to advance in some areas. Moscow denied this and accused Ukraine of violations, doubtless hoping this is the message heard in Washington.
Optimists detect in the truce the fruits of weeks of high-level diplomacy between the White House and the Kremlin. US envoy Steve Witkoff has met Putin three times in two months. The Kremlin leader’s envoy Kirill Dmitriev flew to Washington recently.
But if the ceasefire is well meant, why did it only happen when it seemed as if the Americans were about to pull the plug on the whole process?
It can at least be seen as a concession from a Russian leader who has implacably refused to contemplate any compromise. But Putin does nothing that is not calculated to further his interests and further divide the West, whose support for Ukraine, once so full-throated, is increasingly half-hearted.
Vladimir Putin’s Easter “truce” in Russia’s war with Ukraine is a ploy whose cynicism was apparent as soon as his forces continued their attacks in breach of his own ceasefire.
Some see in his willingness even to contemplate such a move a sign that he might be ready to agree to a peace deal. But Easter was a convenient point at which to try to keep a gullible US president on board amid indications that Donald Trump was losing patience with the Russian leader.
Mr Trump said he could end the war in a day, or at least by Easter, yet has palpably failed on both counts. He proposed a 30-day ceasefire, which Ukraine agreed to, but Moscow did not unless a long list of conditions, unacceptable to Kyiv, were met.
At the weekend, Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, said there would be little point continuing with the process if Putin remained so stubborn. At which point the Easter truce was announced.
It is hard not to see this as another attempt by the Kremlin to string Mr Trump along and separate Washington further from Ukraine where there are fears the Americans will lose interest and stop arms supplies and assistance.
The greatest insult after three years of bombardment is for the Russian leader to claim he was acting out of “humanitarian” considerations. If that were so he would stop the conflict today and withdraw his forces.
Volodymyr Zelensky said that while the Russian army was attempting to create the general impression of a ceasefire there were still isolated attempts to advance in some areas. Moscow denied this and accused Ukraine of violations, doubtless hoping this is the message heard in Washington.
Optimists detect in the truce the fruits of weeks of high-level diplomacy between the White House and the Kremlin. US envoy Steve Witkoff has met Putin three times in two months. The Kremlin leader’s envoy Kirill Dmitriev flew to Washington recently.
But if the ceasefire is well meant, why did it only happen when it seemed as if the Americans were about to pull the plug on the whole process?
It can at least be seen as a concession from a Russian leader who has implacably refused to contemplate any compromise. But Putin does nothing that is not calculated to further his interests and further divide the West, whose support for Ukraine, once so full-throated, is increasingly half-hearted.