UK Prime Minister Against Ceasefire Initiatives In Ukraine Over Fears Of Conflict Freeze

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Monday that any peace initiative that might lead to a freezing of the Ukrainian conflict and not to its final settlement is completely inappropriate for Kiev

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 22nd May, 2023) UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Monday that any peace initiative that might lead to a freezing of the Ukrainian conflict and not to its final settlement is completely inappropriate for Kiev.

"The right and only response to that (Ukrainian conflict) is for Russia to withdraw its forces from Ukraine. And all plans masquerading as peace plans that are in fact attempts just to freeze the conflict where it is are absolutely wrong," Sunak said during a televised statement in the UK's Parliament.

Sunak was responding to former Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn, who asked the prime minister to comment on UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' calls for ceasefire negotiations, which were supported by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Pope Francis, and on Brazilian President Lula da Silva's statement that peace talks were necessary.

"A ceasefire is not a just and lasting peace for Ukraine," Sunak stated.

On Tuesday, Ramaphosa said that he spoke with the Russian and Ukrainian presidents, Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on behalf of the African countries and introduced them to a peace initiative by Zambia, Senegal, the Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Egypt and South Africa. Ramaphosa said that Putin and Zelenskyy both agreed to receive a mission of leaders of African nations with their peace initiative in Moscow and Kiev. Guterres and the African Union were informed of the initiative, Ramaphosa said.