Russian President Vladimir Putin Rejects Ceasefire Calls on Ukraine Strikes
Putin dismissed suggestions from Kyiv and its international backers to halt attacks on Russian oil refineries.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has made it clear that his country will not be swayed by calls for a ceasefire on long-range strikes against Ukraine.
At a speech in Moscow on Thursday, Putin dismissed suggestions from Kyiv and its international backers to halt the attacks on Russian oil refineries and other energy facilities. He claimed such proposals were "ridiculous and stated that Russia would continue to respond in kind to the Ukrainian strikes.
The comments came after a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in New York, where Zelenskyy signaled Kyiv's willingness to cease attacks on Russian oil refineries if Moscow agreed to stop its own aerial assaults on Ukraine's energy infrastructure.
Putin implied that Ukraine had achieved some success with the strikes, citing losses of 1 percent of Russia's gross domestic product (GDP) due to damage inflicted on its oil refineries.
Russian forces have intensified their long-range strikes against Ukraine's steel industry and supply chains, including rail infrastructure, in recent days.
The attacks have put pressure on Kyiv, which is bracing for another harsh winter as it continues to deal with the impact of Moscow's campaign. Ukrainian officials have accused Russian forces of deliberately targeting civilian areas, leaving the city on high alert.
A school in Kyiv was hit by a Russian drone on Thursday, according to city authorities, but fortunately no casualties were reported as children and staff had taken shelter before the attack occurred.
Russia has warned the West against escalating tensions over Ukraine, particularly regarding the threat of military action against the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.
Russia has been sending warning signals to the West regarding its military intentions in Ukraine, particularly concerning the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad. According to NATO, Russia recently sent a diplomatic note stating that it would be prepared to use nuclear weapons if the Western alliance attempted to isolate Kaliningrad.
Putin's remarks came after a speech in Moscow, where he emphasized the dangers of escalating international conflicts. He cautioned that such escalations can quickly lead to catastrophic consequences, citing the possibility of reaching a fatal point of no return" due to an endless cycle of harsh retaliatory measures.
Facts based on reporting originally published by Al Jazeera.
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