The "ball is in (Russia's) court," U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on March 11 after Kyiv and Washington emerged from talks in Saudi Arabia in agreement over a ceasefire proposal.
After the negotiations with Washington, Ukraine announced that it was ready to accept a 30-day-long ceasefire if Russia also complied with it.
Now, all eyes are on Moscow as it mulls a response to the proposal, but expectations are not high — even if a ceasefire comes into force, Moscow has a long history of disregarding them.
After Russia invaded Ukraine's east with the use of proxies and annexed Crimea in 2014, Moscow violated multiple ceasefire deals 25 times, President Volodymyr Zelensky said during a meeting with Trump in the Oval Office on Feb. 28.
We asked five serving Ukrainian soldiers what they thought of the ceasefire proposal and if they think Russia will agree to its terms.
Lieutenant Colonel Bohdan Krotevych
I’m not sure that Russia will agree to a ceasefire. Trump wants to show that he’s the only one making decisions in this situation, but Putin is unlikely to dance to the tune of a U.S. president.
However, if Russia does agree to a ceasefire, it means their situation is worse than it seems. In that case, it’s a clear signal that the pause should be short, and Russia must be pressured even harder on the front line.
'Veter'
former company commander, just returned to the military after a few months break. Fought in Donbas in 2014-2018 during previous 'ceasefires' with Russia
And when will they reach an agreement? It could take a day or a year to reach an agreement. This has legalized Russia at the negotiating table. The murderer is now sitting among the prosecutor and the judges. And he is given every right to say that he is not a murderer.
They will now start bargaining, and what will they bargain with? With Ukraine, our state, our lands, our people. And what will these 30 days do, even if there is a truce and the shooting stops? Has no one thought about what will come after them? Has anyone thought that Russia will then go further and accumulate forces and means?
Russia has a strategic plan for 2035 to capture Ukraine along the east bank in its entirety or even the entire country. They will not deviate from this plan. They will take a break for 30 days to replenish their forces, resources, etc., and then move forward.
The question here is what we will do in the meantime. In Ukraine, during this period, there should be heavy manpower reinforcements (in the army) and 100% replenishment of ammunition and equipment. Starting with small arms, ending with aviation, and everything in between.
Because here we often think, “Oh, that's it, the war is on hold, we can sit and have a smoke.” And everyone will sit on their asses until the storm hits again and the Russians push on.
And when they do, everyone will start shouting again, “Give us weapons urgently, give us people urgently.”
I have seen previous “truces” in Donbas. There was a ceasefire, a “harvest truce," and we were standing on Krymske (in Luhansk Oblast). Their subversive groups were working constantly. I was the acting platoon commander. They hit my position with a Pion (a Soviet self-propelled 203 mm cannon).
There were dead and wounded. No one stopped anything, it was just a "light version" (of the war).
We've been through this before. An agreement with the Russians is not worth the paper it is written on.
Chris York
'Hvylia'
26-year-old military service woman
Regarding the 30-day ceasefire, it is a good opportunity to show the world that Ukraine is most interested in peace. No other country in the world is as interested in ending this war as Ukraine.
And the main thing is the conditions under which we do this. We have already seen what Trump has proposed. It does not work. It is too stupid to use the same non-working scenario and repeatedly fall into the same trap.
"I don't think it will change anything for me. There will still be war, it will still be the same job."
Fortunately, we learn from our mistakes and do not want to make the same mistakes for the second, third, or tenth time. However, we must show the international community that Ukraine is more interested in peace than anyone else.
Suppose there are 30 days of silence in Ukraine without missiles or drones. In that case, it would be a good opportunity to invite international representatives to Ukraine, show our capital, show different cities, show the front-line areas without danger to their lives, show how the military lives, and invite as many journalists as possible. We can do a lot in a month.
Of course, the military will be able to rest and recover a bit. Their loved ones can travel to (Ukraine’s) east and spend time with them without worrying about their safety.
I'm sure not every military member will be allowed to go on vacation. But there is an opportunity to visit loved ones safely.
Myroslav Hai
officer in Ukrainian army
We've seen so many ceasefires over the last 10 years — the Christmas ceasefire, school ceasefire, spring ceasefire, harvest ceasefire…
And every time, Russia broke them. This time will be the same because I don't see that Russia is ready to start a ceasefire.
I don't think it will change anything for me. There will still be war, it will still be the same job.
But maybe, if there really is a ceasefire, it will be good that we can rotate our troops and organize some rest for some of our soldiers.
Yevhen
sapper 25th Airborne Brigade
I don’t think Russia will follow through (with a ceasefire). They never keep their word. We went through this in 2014-2015. But I do really hope for a ceasefire, all the guys are very worn out and broken.
Natalia Yermak
