German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's proposal for a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine during the Christmas holiday days did not gain the Kremlin's support.
According to Modern.az, Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov stated that Moscow does not accept a temporary ceasefire option aimed at giving Ukraine a break and allowing the war to continue.
According to Peskov, the main issue now, as also expressed by US President Donald Trump, is whether an “agreement will be reached or not.”
He noted that if the Ukrainian side favors short-term and ineffective solutions instead of a real and lasting agreement, Russia is not ready to participate in this process. The Kremlin representative emphasized that Russia's position is well known to both the US and Ukraine, stating that Moscow wants to stop the war, achieve its goals, ensure its interests, and guarantee long-term peace in Europe.
The Christmas ceasefire idea was voiced by Friedrich Merz at a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Berlin. The Chancellor said that perhaps there is some humanism left in the Russian authorities and that people could be given the opportunity to live peacefully for a few days. According to him, this step could be the first phase towards peace.
Volodymyr Zelensky said he supports the initiative and that the idea has also been positively received by the US. He emphasized that Friedrich Merz officially put forward this proposal, and as the Ukrainian president, he fully supports this initiative.
