Washington DC –
United States of America (USA) responded to a brief truce regarding the invasion of Ukraine announced by the President of Russia Vladimir Putin. The United States sees this brief respite as Putin’s cynical ploy to fight Ukraine.
As reported by AFP on Saturday (7/1/2023), State Department spokesman Ned Price called the ceasefire “nothing short of cynical” when Putin announced it last Thursday (5/1). He was skeptical of the armistice because of Russia’s stance on the war in Ukraine so far.
“I think the judgment has been vindicated given what we saw throughout the day,” Price told reporters.
“We believe our skepticism is justified because of what we’ve seen from Russia during this conflict,” Price continued.
Furthermore, Price is concerned that the truce is actually a Russian tactic. He suspects that Russia is trying to repair, regroup and launch a new attack on Ukraine.
“We fear that Moscow will try to use the potential lull in the battle to redress, regroup and finally strike back with more retaliation, with more brutality, even more lethality,” Price said.
Not only Price, but also the Ukrainian government and European powers have expressed doubts about Putin’s truce for the Orthodox Christmas.
Artillery exchanges pounded eastern Ukraine on Friday, giving residents no respite from the nearly year-long invasion.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also earlier said that a unilateral ceasefire “cannot and should not be taken seriously”. Meanwhile a close adviser to Zelensky said Russia “must leave the occupied territories” for hostilities to cease.
US President Joe Biden has also downplayed the Russian truce.
“It is ready to bomb hospitals, nursing homes and churches on December 25 and New Year’s Day,” he said. “I think he’s looking for oxygen,” Biden said.
(country/country)
