Russian bloggers blast ceasefire proposal as 'betrayal'

These bloggers claim that the United States and Ukraine may "abandon" the ceasefire conditions "at the first opportunity." In their view, the war in Ukraine has "existential significance" for Russia.

Gen. Viktor Sobolev, a deputy of the Russian State Duma, emphasized that Russia should not agree to the "unacceptable" ceasefire proposal, as it would give Ukraine time to rearm and regroup its forces. Although the Kremlin has not officially responded to the proposal, Maria Zakharova, the spokeswoman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, noted that Russia "does not rule out" contact with the US in the coming days.

Another staunch supporter of the Kremlin wrote: "Zelensky's gang claims it is ready for an immediate 30-day ceasefire and that the US would resume intelligence sharing with Ukraine. The Americans have not commented on this yet. The purpose of a 30-day ceasefire for Russia without achieving the goals of the SWO [special military operation] remains a mystery," he wrote on Telegram.

Duma Security Committee member Mikhail Sheremet stated that Russia is interested in an agreement but "will not be deceived." Experts note that the talks in Saudi Arabia put Vladimir Putin in a difficult position. Rejecting the proposal may harm relations with the US, which signals a desire to reset relations.

Paul Ronzheimer from "Bild" suggests that the Ukrainian delegation might have assumed that Russia would reject the proposal, which could anger Donald Trump. The US President has made it clear that he expects an agreement within "the next few days," which could result in new sanctions on Russia.

The proposal for a ceasefire in Ukraine has elicited mixed reactions, and its rejection by Russia could have far-reaching consequences for international relations. Vladimir Putin faces a dilemma that could impact the future of Russian-American relations.