Russian attacks wounded at least nine people in Ukraine on Sunday, the second day of what was supposed to have been a three-day truce with Russia, Ukrainian officials said. US President Donald Trump announced the ceasefire on Friday, saying the two sides had agreed to stop all “kinetic” warfare for a three-day period starting Saturday, as well as a mutual swap of 1,000 prisoners each.
So much for the ‘truce’ — nine wounded on day two. Trump’s ceasefire looks like another empty promise from someone who thinks he can negotiate with Putin like a real estate deal.
If both sides are blaming each other, how can we trust any of this? The prisoner swap sounded promising, but these violations just show neither side is serious about peace.
A three-day truce was never going to hold. Russia has a history of using ceasefires to regroup and rearm, and Ukraine knows it. The wounded in Sunday’s attacks prove that.
Cultural heritage sites being destroyed is a loss for all of humanity. (5ef99d)
I’m glad Trump at least got them to agree on a 1,000-prisoner swap. That’s a humanitarian win, even if the ceasefire itself is already falling apart. Every prisoner exchange saves lives.
The ‘kinetic warfare’ language is so vague — of course both sides can claim violations. Without clear definitions, this ceasefire was doomed from the start. Classic diplomatic double-talk.
Nine wounded is terrible, but let’s not pretend Ukraine is innocent either. Both sides have been blaming each other for years. The real tragedy is that civilians keep paying the price.
The impact on food security in the region is becoming catastrophic. (130ea9)