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UN Welcomes Putin's Christmas Ceasefire in Ukraine


Fri 06 Jan 2023 | 10:23 AM
Omnia Ahmed

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres affirmed that he is ready to welcome any truce in Ukraine, referring to Russia's proposal for a ceasefire during Orthodox Christmas.

However, Guterres, pointed out that the temporary cessation of hostilities would not "replace a just peace in line with the UN Charter and international law," his spokesman said at the regular briefing.

Russian leader Vladimir Putin announced a 36-hour ceasefire Thursday.

“Taking into account the appeal of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, I instruct the Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation to introduce a ceasefire regime along the entire line of contact of the parties in Ukraine from 12:00 on January 6, 2023, to 24:00 on January 7, 2023,” Putin said in a video address.

“Proceeding from the fact that a large number of citizens professing Orthodoxy live in the areas of hostilities, we call on the Ukrainian side to declare a ceasefire and allow them to attend services on Christmas Eve, as well as on Christmas Day,” he added.

On its part, Ukraine rejected the ceasefire appeal from the head of the Russian Orthodox Church labeling it a “cynical trap".

A political adviser to Ukraine’s president, Mykhailo Podolyak, slammed Russia's alleged “hypocrisy," noting that Russians are waiting for Ukraine to also declare a truce.

“First. Ukraine doesn’t attack foreign territory & doesn’t kill civilians. As RF [The Russian Federation] does,” Podolyak tweeted.