Vladimir Putin’s ceasefire plan is a bid to hoodwink the West, world leaders have claimed, with British PM Rishi Sunak accusing the Russian President of “spinning a phoney narrative” and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz dismissing it as a “dictatorial peace”.
On Friday, Mr Putin outlined proposals to end the conflict if Ukraine withdrew troops from four regions which Russia partially occupies, and abandoned plans to join NATO.
However, his proposals promoted a dismissive reaction in Switzerland, where leaders have gathered for a two-day summit aimed at ending the conflict.
Mr Sunak warning: “I recall my first visit to Kyiv where I saw the explosive devices that departing Russian soldiers had placed in children’s toys and footballs.
“There can be no justification for that. There can be no justification for escalating nuclear rhetoric.”
He continued: “Putin has no interest in a genuine peace. He has launched a sustained diplomatic campaign against this summit ordering countries to stay away, spinning a phoney narrative about his willingness to negotiate.”
Mr Scholz said Putin’s plan was not being taken “seriously” by anyone at the summit, telling German newspaper ZDF on the sidelines of the event: “At the same time, Putin has also shown what he is really interested in – a classic imperialist conquest of territories.
“To this end, he employed great military power, unleashed a brutal war, and also resigned himself to the fact that hundreds of thousands of Russian soldiers died or were seriously injured for the sake of his imperialist dream.”
Others were no more enthusiastic about Putin’s remarks, with Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni saying: “It seems to me more like a propaganda move than a real one.
It doesn’t seem particularly effective to me as a negotiation proposal to tell Ukraine that it must withdraw from Ukraine.”
European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, currently seeking a second term at the head of the bloc’s executive branch, said: “Freezing the conflict today with foreign troops occupying Ukrainian land is not an answer.
“In fact, it is a recipe for future wars of aggression.”
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, who was also in Switzerland for the event, highlighted Putin’s absence.
He told reporters: “Here, there are representatives from Latin America, Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Asia, the Pacific, North America and religious leaders.
“Now, there is no Russia here. Why? Because if Russia was interested in peace, there would be no war.”
Meanwhile, Andriy Yermak, chief of staff to Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, told the BBC there would be “no compromise on independence, sovereignty or territorial integrity”.
Speaking on Friday, Putin demanded Ukraine’s recognition of Crimea as part of Russia, keeping the country’s nonnuclear status, restricting its military force and protecting the interests of the Russian-speaking population.
All of these should be part of “fundamental international agreements,” and all Western sanctions against Russia should be lifted, the 71-year-old said.
He added: “We’re urging to turn this tragic page of history and to begin restoring, step-by-step, the unity between Russia and Ukraine and in Europe in general.”
