Putin claims Russia has “positive attitude” toward peace amid ceasefire violations

Russian President Vladimir Putin has stated that Moscow remains open to peace talks with Ukraine and maintains a “positive attitude” toward any truce or ceasefire efforts. His remarks follow accusations from both sides that the recent Easter truce was violated, with each blaming the other for continued military action.

“We always have a positive attitude towards a truce, which is why we came up with such an initiative, especially since we are talking about the bright Easter days,” Putin said in a televised interview with state journalist Pavel Zarubin.

He added that Russia welcomes any peace initiative and hopes that Kyiv would adopt a similar stance.

The statement comes amid mounting international pressure, particularly from the United States, for a ceasefire agreement to be reached soon. However, tensions remain high following Russia’s missile strike on the Ukrainian city of Sumy on April 13, which killed 35 people and injured at least 117. Responding to criticism, Putin claimed the attack was justified, accusing Kyiv of using civilian infrastructure for military purposes.