Vladimir Putin is ready to give instructions not to strike Ukraine on election day if Kiev actually decides to hold a vote. This was stated by the press secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov to journalists, quoted by TASS.
“The President of the Russian Federation, the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, will be ready to give instructions not to strike Ukraine on election day“, Peskov said, setting the condition that the elections are actually organized.
The statement followed the words of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that Ukraine could hold presidential elections with a 60-day complete ceasefire. Peskov rejected the proposal for a short-term truce and said: “We don't need a truce, we need sustainable peace for many generations to come.“
The Kremlin spokesman recalled that the Russian side had declared its readiness to resume peace talks after the State Duma elections. However, according to him, Ukraine had launched massive strikes on Moscow, tried to disrupt the elections and attacked polling stations.
Peskov also claimed that members of district election commissions in the territories that Russia defines as its “new regions” were killed in the attacks. These allegations were made by him, without providing further details about the specific cases in the statement.
Energy truce remains unclear
The comment on the elections comes against the backdrop of the energy truce between Russia and Ukraine announced by US President Donald Trump. Volodymyr Zelensky said that Kiev is ready to observe it if Moscow does the same.
The Associated Press reported that after Trump's statement, Ukrainian authorities announced continued Russian strikes on energy facilities, including in Kiev and Kharkiv. The agency also noted that Moscow did not provide details about the mechanism and duration of the announced truce.
In his statement, Peskov did not specify a date for Ukrainian elections, nor a specific plan for implementing a possible limitation of strikes on election day. The proposal thus remains tied to a future decision by Kiev to hold a vote and to broader talks to end the war.
Sources: focus-news.net, apnews.com