Ukraine requests a ceasefire to negotiate, Putin wants to negotiate to stop fire-Liberation

Vladimir Putin does not like not the ultimatums. Nothing surprising therefore that he rejects the one launched to him Westerncame to visit Saturday May 10 at Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv. Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Prime Minister Donald Tusk, bearing the will of the « Coalition of volunteers » And with the blessing of Donald Trump, demanded that Russia accept, without conditions, on Monday, a complete 30-day cease-fire. Otherwise the allies have agreed on the need to strengthen sanctions against Moscow and military aid in Ukraine.

That Nenni. At 1:30 am in the morning, Moscow time, an hour and a half after the end of the unilateral truce decreed by Russia on occasion of the Victory Festivalthe Russian president spoke to make a counter-offer. “We propose to the Kyiv authorities to resume the negotiations they interrupted at the end of 2022, to resume direct negotiations. And I emphasize, without any prerequisite. I propose to start without delay next Thursday, May 15, in Istanbul ”, Said Putin to an audience of journalists who have been waiting since the beginning of the afternoon, which was to be the press conference of the May 9 festivities. «  »We are determined to carry out serious negotiations with the Ukrainians (…) We do not exclude that these negotiations lead to a new truce agreement, a new ceasefire. ”

And voila. The sleight of hand is played. Westerners ask for a serious, unconditional ceasefire with guarantees, to start negotiations that could lead to lasting peace. Putin offers in exchange to enter uncertain negotiations, without prior truce.

« We have repeatedly proposed measures to put an end to hostilities and we have never given up dialogue with the Ukrainian part », said Putin, who has requested, however, for three years, the capitulation of Kyiv, who must give up both his sovereignty and his Atlantic ambitions.

The famous « deep causes of conflict  » that must be eliminated, in order to « To establish lasting peace and to build a historical perspective ». We come back again and again. While Europeans have taken note of the deregulation of the world order caused by the arrival of Donald Trump in the White House and continue to work for the strengthening of the Union, while having definitively understood the important to support Ukraine against the Russian aggression,

Putin did not move an iota. But for Donald Trump and his emissaries, who seem ready to swallow everything he pours in their gullible ears, he pretends flexibility, and hands them a trap: « The decision now belongs to the Ukrainian authorities and their mentors who (…) want to continue the war against Russia through the Ukrainian nationalists ».

While he, who thanks at the end of the speech « The new administration of the United States of America », Among others « Foreign partners (…) for their mediation services in favor of a peaceful regulation of the Ukrainian crisis», Is only good will and availability.

This caused Donald Trump’s immediate reaction. « Potentially a great day for Russia and Ukraine! » wrote the American president on his account Truth Socialwithout explaining what he was referring to. Assuring wanting « Continue working with both parties «  To end the conflict: « Think of the hundreds of thousands of lives that will be saved with the end, hopefully, endless bloodbath. (…) I will continue to work with both parties to make sure it happens ”.

The least we can say is that Emmanuel Macron is far away to be so enthusiastic. « The unconditional ceasefire is not preceded by negotiations, by definition »said the French president to journalists at his descent from the train to the Polish city of Przemysl on the return from a trip to Ukraine.

He estimated that this counter-proposition showed that Vladimir Putin « Looking for a way, but there is always the desire to save time at home. » Asked to say if it was a dilatory maneuver, as Russia accused several times, he replied: « Yes, if, it is one ».

Update At 8 am with the reactions of Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron.