Canada Pushes Russia Toward Honest Ceasefire

(MENAFN) Canadian Premier Mark Carney has called on Russia to "come to the table in good faith" and participate earnestly in a ceasefire agreement concerning the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

He emphasized that failure to cooperate could lead to the imposition of tougher penalties.

This statement was delivered on Saturday through a post on X, where Carney disclosed that he had spoken with Ukrainian Leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other allied leaders involved in the Coalition of the Willing.

Carney reaffirmed Canada's endorsement of a one-month, unconditional halt to hostilities beginning on Monday, characterizing it as a crucial opportunity to bring an end to what he called a “senseless and brutal war.”

Stressing the importance of collaboration, he warned that "if it chooses to reject or delay the ceasefire, we’ll pursue further and stronger sanctions."

The proposal for the ceasefire emerged from a summit convened in Kyiv, where leaders from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Poland gathered.

French Leader Emmanuel Macron noted that the truce would be chiefly overseen by the United States, with significant backing from various European nations.

In reaction to the proposal, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that Russia did not feel pressured by the West’s push for a 30-day pause in combat.

He pointed to Moscow’s own suggestion of a shorter, three-day truce and claimed that Kyiv had failed to respond to that offer.

Peskov indicated that the Kremlin was still weighing the new proposal but cautioned that coercive tactics would not be effective.

He asserted that Moscow remains “open for dialogue” and values mediation efforts by the Trump administration, though he condemned Europe for “confronting us very openly.”

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