After ceasefire demand, Kremlin calls European statements ‘confrontational’

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MOSCOW (Reuters) – The Kremlin accused European countries on Saturday of making contradictory and confrontational statements, after European leaders backed a U.S. plan for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine and threatened Russia with “massive” sanctions if it failed to comply.

“We hear many contradictory statements from Europe. They are generally confrontational in nature rather than aimed at trying to revive our relations. Nothing more,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

President Vladimir Putin “has repeatedly said that he is ready for contacts with any leaders”, Peskov said. “And he is open to interaction, to dialogue with any leaders to the extent that the leaders themselves are ready.”

Ukraine and European leaders agreed on Saturday that an unconditional 30-day ceasefire should start on Monday, with the backing of U.S. President Donald Trump.

“So all of us here together with the U.S. are calling Putin out. If he is serious about peace, then he has a chance to show it,” British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said.

Russia has long said that it is open to talks, accusing Kyiv of closing off that option by adopting a 2022 decree ruling out any negotiation with Putin.

On Friday Peskov was quoted as saying that Russia supported the implementation of a 30-day ceasefire, but only with due consideration of “a large number of nuances”.

In separate remarks to ABC News that were aired on Saturday, the spokesman suggested that Western military assistance for Ukraine would have to stop in order for a ceasefire to happen. “Otherwise it will be an advantage for Ukraine,” he said.

Russia believes it has the advantage on the battlefield and says it is concerned that Ukraine could use a 30-day pause in the war to rest its forces, mobilise more men and get hold of more Western arms.

(Reporting by Reuters, writing by Mark Trevelyan; Editing by Tomasz Janowski)