Putin Promises Ceasefire, But Ukraine Calls Proposal 'Absurd'

Russian President Vladimir Putin has promised to order a ceasefire in Ukraine and start negotiations if Kyiv begins removing troops from four regions that Moscow added in 2022 and abandons plans to join NATO.

Ukraine has refused Putin’s proposal, calling it “manipulative” and “absurd”, the Associated Press reports.

Putin made this promise as Switzerland planned to host world leaders, excluding those in Moscow, this weekend in an attempt to come up with a plan designed at establishing peace in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, leaders from the Group of Seven industrialized countries have met at the G7 Summit in Italy as the U.S. signed a 10-year security pact with Ukraine that Russia dismissed as “null and void,” according to the AP.

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Putin also demanded in his proposal that Ukraine recognize Crimea as part of Russia, which would keep Crimea’s nonnuclear status, limit its military force and safeguard interests of the Russian-speaking population. He also requested that all Western sanctions against Russia be lifted.

In addition to wanting to join NATO, Ukraine wants Russian forces to leave its territory and that Russia be held responsible for war crimes committed since the war began un February 2022. Ukraine also wants Moscow to pay reparations to Kyiv.

Ukraine faces Russian-imposed energy crisis

Ukraine is implementing blackouts as it tries to fix its electrical grid and look for spare parts after Russia bombed its utilities and cut the country’s electricity supply by half, The Wall Street Journal reported.

The Russian onslaught, carried out by missiles and explosive drones, have led to widespread use of generators across Ukraine as power companies try to repair the damage during hourslong blackouts.

Industry analysts warn that the situation could become much worse in the winter as demand for electricity rises to meet the need for heating and water, according to the Journal.

Restoration of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure may cost $50 billion, according to DTEK, Ukraine’s largest private energy investor. To address the need for parts, DTEK has been working with European countries across Europe to find usable parts at decommissioned power plants.

State power company Ukrenergo has received 30.4 million euros, equivalent to around $33 million, from Germany to support energy infrastructure, while the EU said 1.4 billion euros in grants will be available to businesses working in the energy sector, the WSJ reported.

DTEK announced partnerships with U.S. energy companies Honeywell International Inc HON and GE Vernova GEV as well as French energy company Schneider Electric SBGSY, which has donated 43,000 pieces of emergency equipment worth 4 million euros since February 2022.

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