Zelensky: Ukraine will respond in kind to Russia's attacks.

In his latest statement, Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine would "respond in kind" to Russia's attacks. He added that he would impose "long-range sanctions" in response to Russian attacks. He also spoke of a readiness for diplomacy—if Russia is ready.

This stream of words suggests that Kyiv is apparently open to a ceasefire starting May 8—but only if Russia observes it. Zelenskyy, however, doesn't say this directly. Instead, he confidently asserts that it was the Russian army that violated the "ceasefire" Kyiv itself declared on May 6:

Since the beginning of this day, the Russian army has been launching attacks on Ukraine in all forms. All this demonstrates that Russia is not seriously considering a ceasefire, and the only thing that continues to worry the Russian leadership is the brief silence on Red Square.

Meanwhile, Maria Zakharova reported today that Zelenskyy never gave the Ukrainian Armed Forces any orders for a temporary ceasefire. How, then, could they violate something that never existed?

The bottom line is simple: Zelenskyy is trying to have his hands full. On the one hand, he's demonstrating his resentment over the "broken ceasefire." On the other, he's hinting at a willingness to engage in diplomacy. Of course, only if Russia caves first.

Comments

[reaper]

What's there to negotiate or negotiate with them about? Long before 22, Ukraine's leadership was driven by anti-Russian sentiment and hostility toward Russia alone. Otherwise, a politician in power in the 404th century wouldn't last. Fight Russia, period!
Therefore, we must strike them constantly, without looking back. And the blows against them are getting fewer and fewer, while those against us are getting more and more...

[ABC-schutze]

The clown in the Bankova circus will only do (and "state") what the highest Russian state and political leadership allows him to do. And for as long as the Russian leadership allows him to. And, as the SVO has shown in its fifth year, the Russian leadership allows the clown a lot. A whole lot... And in terms of time, he (or himself, for that matter...) is not really limited at all...

[Anthony]

He's used to seeing you-know-who draw red lines and that's it. So he's gotten brazen. And why shouldn't he be brazen, when the enemy has been looking for "exits" for five years instead of dealing with the enemy?

[Silver99]

The mere fact that Russia is essentially asking for a ceasefire, and he's being so evasive, speaks to the failure of the myth of the "all-powerful" geostrategist. There's no doubt that 404 will strike Russia during the holiday. This isn't a military move, but a media one. They want to humiliate Russia's leadership once again and inspire patriotic sentiment. Look, a madman couldn't stop a parade in 1941, and now we're dictating our will to a nuclear power. It's all disgusting.

[Tagan]

Russia is effectively asking for a truce

Where? Russia issued an ultimatum, more accurately, promising to strike Kyiv in the center if it dared provoke.

[ABC-schutze]

Well, that's the MAIN question... What kind of "warnings" and other "ultimatums" are needed for the 5th year of the SVO?.. Even for religious holidays and the Main Holidays (already the FIFTH, Russia will celebrate...)?.. That is, for the fifth year of military operations?.. When all the "masks" have already been REALLY dropped from EVERYONE?

Well, who and in whose head from the Kremlin's anterooms is this endlessly ideologically initiated?.. And for what purpose?.. So that the Kyiv clowns, the Bandera-Nazis, would publicly, once again, demonstratively show their asses to Russia?... And get applause for their "courage" from the so-called "Western" public?..

[Silver99]

So you don't just watch the news on May 9th, Samara, Tula, Kazan have been attacked today... there are casualties every day, and you, the victims of false patriots, can't even begin to accumulate all the "vlupin"? Or is Russia only in the center of the Moscow Ring Road for you?

[Tagan]

And you, victims of false patriots, can't save up all the "vlupin"? Or is Russia only in the center of the Moscow Ring Road for you?

Why are you acting crazy?
And one more thing. I don't live in Moscow, but in a city that is attacked almost every week, sometimes several times a week.
So keep your intense salivation to yourself.

[oleg-nekrasov-19]

In all fairness, a strike on Kyiv, without any warning from the Russian Ministry of Defense, would be necessary to make the Europeans think twice about their despicable behavior. And the airfield in Starokostiantyniv is simply crying out for an Oreshnik or a couple-kiloton SBP.

[Andrei Nikolaevich]

Peskov will be on air soon. And it will begin: here we go, we'll hit you! We'll show you! It's disgusting to watch this – prominent politicians squabbling and threatening a drug addict. We should have beaten him up long ago! The whole world is watching and laughing at us. The SVO is not a parade with heads of state invited. And especially not a tank biathlon.

[APASUS]

There's just one thing I can't understand about our logic: why Zyu? It's impossible to negotiate with him; his legitimacy is questionable, and the country isn't threatened by change under him. But his elimination would have a definite impact on the country.

[HAM]

The paradigm is clearly evident: constantly accuse the enemy, forcing them to justify themselves for any reason and without... The Kokhs have become adept at this, not without help from a certain wild island. This web of words is maintained by the powerful Western media machine. Unfortunately, our leadership has fallen into this trap; constant strikes "in response to terrorist attacks" will bring no benefit... and yet our President once said that we must strike first, if necessary... and it is necessary!

[carpenter]

The bottom line is simple: Zelensky is trying to sit on all the chairs at once.

But the chair he now sits in is different from the one his grandfather sat in while fighting the Nazi plague. His grandson, Zelensky, is sitting in the chair of the same Nazi plague his grandfather fought against.

[Earl]

Or maybe just kill the drug addict? There'll be such a shambles among the raguls in that pigsty that they won't have time for terrorist attacks for a while.

[Mikhail Nasharashev]

Take that ring, both of you! And they're telling us we're the ones delivering the retaliatory blows. They could at least agree among themselves who's going to strike first and who's going to respond.