Putin refuses to accept ceasefire due to personal insecurities – Center for Countering Disinformation

Kovalenko highlighted that the Kremlin leader "appears delusional" for continuing to attack Ukraine with weapons like Shahed drones, despite Russia’s repeated failures to achieve its primary objective of destroying Ukraine either militarily or politically.

“He’s launching Shahed UAVs and refusing a ceasefire out of his own complexes, detached from reality," CCD Chief wrote.

"The entire Russian national mindset is as sick as he is.”

On May 12, German government spokesperson Stefan Cornelius warned that Russia will face new sanctions if it did not agree to a ceasefire by the end of the day.

“Time is running out,” he said, urging Moscow to accept the 30-day unconditional ceasefire proposal by May 12 night.

French President Emmanuel Macron echoed the warning, saying that Moscow had to respond positively until the evening or face additional sanctions from Europe and its partners.

30-day ceasefire proposal

On May 10, French President Emmanuel Macron, Polish and UK Prime Ministers Donald Tusk and Keir Starmer, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived in Kyiv to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

They held a joint phone call with US President Donald Trump and conveyed Ukraine’s readiness to begin a full ceasefire starting on May 12.

“If Russia agrees and proper monitoring is ensured, a reliable ceasefire can take hold and open the door for meaningful peace talks,” said Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.

The UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer stressed that any counter-demands by Russia will be treated as a rejection of the ceasefire. He added that a group of countries is already prepared to impose additional sanctions on Moscow in that case.

That same day, Putin proposed direct negotiations with Ukraine “without preconditions” on May 15 in Istanbul but made no mention of the 30-day ceasefire initiative put forward by the so-called “coalition of the willing.”

Former US President Donald Trump said Ukraine should accept the offer to negotiate in Türkiye, though he voiced skepticism about whether a deal could be reached with Putin, whom he described as “too busy celebrating the end of World War II.”

On May 11, President Zelenskyy said in a national address that he will visit Türkiye on May 15 and is waiting for Putin to show up.