“The world leaders’ greatest mistake was to believe that Putin would comply with the terms of the agreement. Knowing who Putin is and knowing Russia’s imperial ambitions, we don’t believe it will happen.” Speaking to SIR from the Ukrainian port city on the Black Sea, Monsignor Stanislav Szyrokoradiuk, Bishop of the Latin-Rite Catholic Church of Odessa, commented on the ‘truce’ agreed in Riyadh with the Russian and Ukrainian delegations in talks brokered by the White House. The terms to which both parties have agreed are summarised in two separate texts consisting of five points. Four of these points are identical in both texts, while the second is different. In one version, in talks with the Russians, Moscow can resume selling grain and other products on international markets, while the other, agreed with the Ukrainians, sees Washington promising to secure the release of Ukrainian prisoners of war and children held by the Russians. “Nothing positive can be expected from Putin”, the bishop says. “He is buying time to ensure a more favourable situation for himself. Rather than a genuine aspiration to foster peace, he is pursuing a strategy of manipulation.”
Regarding the ceasefire, he adds, “The attacks will continue. In any case, I do not see them ending today or in the near future.”
In fact, the ceasefire has so far existed only in words. Less than 24 hours after the announcement of the Kiev-Moscow agreement on a ceasefire in the Black Sea and an effective cessation of attacks on energy infrastructure, 117 Russian drones, most of them Shahed, took to the skies over Ukraine, causing damage to homes and infrastructure. Ukraine’s Air Force shot down a significant number of drones. A long list of cities have been targeted by the Russians: Dnipro, Sumy, Cherkasy, Kryvyi Rih. In Okhtyrka, in the Sumy region, houses, shops and civil infrastructure have been damaged. Communities in the Donetsk, Kharkiv and Zaporizhia regions were also affected. “Launching large-scale attacks in the wake of ceasefire talks is a clear message to the whole world that Moscow has no intention of pursuing real peace,” said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Leaders of the ‘Coalition of the Willing’ nations are meeting in Paris today to discuss support for Ukraine ahead of a ceasefire. French President Emmanuel Macron has invited 31 delegations to the summit. “There is always hope,” said Bishop Szyrokoradiuk. “We pray and fight every day not to lose hope. What are you asking the European leaders? To help and support the Ukrainians with effective defence support, because Ukraine is a victim.”
