Kyiv, Mar 12 (EFE).- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Wednesday that he expects the United States to take \u201cstrong measures\u201d against Russia if the Kremlin refuses to accept a 30-day ceasefire that Kyiv has already approved at Washington\u2019s proposal.<\/p>
\u201cStrong measures against the Russian side. That is my understanding, that we can count on these measures. I don\u2019t know the details yet, but we are talking about sanctions and strengthening Ukraine,” Zelenskyy told a press conference in Kyiv.<\/p>
He also expressed hope that the US would uphold the \u201cpeace through strength\u201d approach associated with President Donald Trump\u2019s foreign policy if Russian President Vladimir Putin rejects the truce.<\/p>
Asked about the likelihood of the ceasefire taking effect, Zelenskyy said it depended \u201c100 percent\u201d on Russia and whether Putin is truly interested in peace or wants to \u201ccontinue killing\u201d people.<\/p>
Zelenskyy also reaffirmed his willingness to sign an economic agreement proposed by the US to recoup American financial support for Ukraine and fund the country\u2019s reconstruction through profits from Ukraine\u2019s natural resources.<\/p>
“Ukraine is prepared to sign the framework agreement. As a first step. We have always said this,” he stated.<\/p>
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters that Washington expects contacts with Moscow on the truce proposal on Wednesday, though he acknowledged that Russia\u2019s response remains uncertain.<\/p>
Rubio said Monday that Ukraine would have to concede on certain matters if it wants to reach a ceasefire agreement in the war with Russia and said it will be difficult to recover territory occupied by them in 2014.<\/p>
“\u201cThey\u2019ve suffered greatly, and their people have suffered greatly, and it\u2019s hard in the aftermath of something like that to even talk about concessions, but that\u2019s the only way this is going to end, to prevent more suffering,\u201d Rubio said on a flight to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.<\/p>
He also said it will be hard to force Russia to concede Crimea, which it invaded in 2014.<\/p>
Rubio traveled Monday to Saudi Arabia, where he was received by the crown prince, Mohamed bin Salman, and where he will meet with a high-level Ukrainian delegation Tuesday in a meeting to negotiate peace with Russia.<\/p>
He said Ukraine would have to concede on certain matters if it wanted to reach a ceasefire agreement in the war with Russia, noting that it would be difficult to recover territory occupied by them in 2014.<\/p>
\u201cThey have suffered greatly, and their people have suffered greatly, and it is hard in the aftermath of something like that to even talk about concessions, but that is the only way this is going to end, to prevent more suffering,\u201d Rubio said on a flight to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.<\/p>
He also said it will be hard to force Russia to concede Crimea, which it invaded in 2014.<\/p>
Rubio said Ukrainians “are receiving all the defensive intelligence information,” after the US stopped sharing intelligence with the country following the tense meeting between President Trump and Ukrainian counterpart Zelenskyy, a few weeks ago.<\/p>
After the meeting between the two leaders, the Trump administration paused the military aid it was sending to the country. EFE <\/p>
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