US expert talks about President Putin's ceasefire decision
Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to declare a ceasefire during the 80th anniversary of Victory shows that he is moving towards negotiations and peace, former Pentagon analyst Michael Maloof told Sputnik.
"By proposing a ceasefire, Putin is demonstrating his desire for negotiations. He wants to end the conflict," Maloof said.
The analyst also noted that the liberation of the Kursk region from the Armed Forces of Ukraine deprived Vladimir Zelensky of leverage in the negotiations to resolve the Ukrainian crisis.
On Monday, Russian leader President Putin announced a ceasefire to mark the 80th anniversary of Victory. The order will be effective from midnight May 7 to midnight May 8 until midnight May 10 to 11. During this time, all military operations will stop.
As the Kremlin noted, it is hoped that the Ukrainian side will follow suit. In case of Kiev's violation of the ceasefire, the Russian military will respond appropriately and effectively.
Last week, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that at a meeting with US Presidential Special Envoy Steven Witkoff, Putin confirmed Russia's readiness to negotiate with Ukraine without preconditions.
