No ceasefire in sight: Zelenskyy: Without pressure, Russia will continue to wage war

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy is pushing for a 30-day ceasefire. "This is an appropriate timeframe to prepare the next steps," he says. But Moscow is signaling no willingness. What Zelenskyy believes will help is more pressure – in the form of sanctions.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accuses Russia of not seeking a ceasefire in the war against his country. "At the moment, no one sees such a willingness from Russia," Zelenskyy said in his evening video address. On the contrary, the country's internal rhetoric is becoming increasingly active. "Without pressure on Moscow, Russia will continue to wage war," Zelenskyy emphasized. Therefore, global sanctions against Russian energy and Russian banks could certainly help bring peace.

Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine is ready to move toward a ceasefire immediately if Russia is willing to offer something in return: a permanent ceasefire of at least 30 days. "This is an appropriate timeframe to prepare the next steps. Russia must end the war—its attacks and shelling."

Zelenskyy said the key question was whether Ukraine's partners could persuade Russia to agree to a complete ceasefire to end the Russian war of aggression that has been going on for more than three years. He said a "permanent silence is needed that would allow us to find a way out of this war."

Most recently, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a three-day ceasefire from May 8 to 10 to mark the World War II commemoration. Ukraine, however, considers this a deception. It insists on a comprehensive 30-day ceasefire. Russia, in turn, rejects this.