Negotiations with Russia are ongoing, but there is no ceasefire yet—Budanov
Negotiations with Russia are not at an impasse, but no ceasefire agreement has been reached yet.
This was stated by Kirill Budanov, head of the Main Intelligence Directorate, at the international forum “Security Architecture,” according to an RBC-Ukraine correspondent.
According to him, work on potential peace initiatives is ongoing, but mostly behind closed doors. He also noted that certain contacts and discussions are continuing despite the lack of concrete results regarding a ceasefire.
“Regarding the negotiation process: I have never said that it is at an impasse, and I continue to hold this view. Certain processes are ongoing; you are right, they are, let’s say, not entirely public,” said the head of the Presidential Office.
At the same time, he acknowledged that there is indeed a certain pause in negotiations at the highest level. But at the technical level, according to Budanov, negotiations have not stopped. And prisoner exchanges are proof of this.
As for the rumors of an alleged “ceasefire” on Trinity Sunday, Budanov said he knows nothing about such agreements.
"I have not received such information. Moreover, you can see how much was struck by the Russian Federation yesterday, how many casualties there were. Therefore, I don’t quite understand what we are talking about right now," he said.
Budanov stated that Russia continues its attempts to eliminate him even during negotiations.
Ukraine is ready for dialogue with Russia provided Moscow is genuinely committed to serious talks, but such meetings require careful preparation. Any direct contacts between the leaders of the warring states do not occur spontaneously or via ordinary telephone communication.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that he is ready to hold a summit with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, and the search for an appropriate format is currently underway.
Budanovwore a unique shirt featuring images of a cat, a frog, and an owl.
