Over the last 24 hours, a deep fear has broken in Kiev that U.S. President Donald Trump would be enticed by a Russian offer of a partial truce. A so-called “air truce,” halting missile and drone attacks, had been floated last week by Belarus’s President Alexander Lukashenko, who reported on a discussion with Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine, Keith Kellogg: “I say, yes, Russia is interested in this, President Putin, but you [Kellogg and Kiev] don’t want it. Tell Zelensky to go along with it.” Then Bloomberg reported yesterday that the offer may come up in the Witkoff-Putin discussion today.
The director of Ukraine’s notorious ‘Center for Countering Disinformation’ stepped up today to warn against any US-Russia consensus](https://english.nv.ua/nation/air-truce-andriy-kovalenko-names-reasons-for-russia-s-desire-to-stop-air-strikes-50535144.html) on a truce on air attacks. Andriy Kovalenko stated: “This is essentially a trap, as it shows no intention to end the war. On the contrary, Russia aims to prolong the conflict, avoid painful strikes deep within its territory, and prevent disruptions to its air traffic... This is why Russia wants an air pause—to stockpile resources for future strikes at their chosen moment, avoid sanctions now, and continue the ground war. A full ceasefire and leaders’ meeting are critical. Anything else is Russian maneuvering that must be met with immediate sanctions.”
The U.S. Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), a Department of Defense “combat support agency,” weighed in on the affair. First, they summarized Kovalenko’s statement: “Ukrainian officials have issued a stern warning against what they perceive as a deceptive ‘air ceasefire’ proposal by Russia. Andriy Kovalenko... has characterized the potential truce as a strategic ploy by Moscow to regroup, replenish its resources, and ultimately prolong the war effort... Kovalenko emphasized that the proposed ‘air ceasefire,’ while potentially appealing on the surface, masks Russia’s true intentions, which are to consolidate its gains and prepare for a renewed offensive... Russia’s proposal serves as a smokescreen to evade mounting international sanctions. By presenting a façade of peace through a limited ceasefire, Russia hopes to lessen the pressure from the global community while simultaneously continuing its ground assault. This tactical maneuver, Kovalenko warned, should not be misinterpreted as a genuine desire for peace, but rather as a calculated attempt to circumvent international pressure.”
Then DISA offered its direct commentary in what appears to be an attempt to push Trump: “The call for a complete ceasefire coupled with high-level talks reinforces the importance of a comprehensive and genuine effort to end the conflict and prevent further suffering. The international community now faces the challenge of deciphering Russia’s true intentions and responding in a way that promotes a just and lasting peace.”
