Putin wants to use the so-called “Christmas truce” to at least briefly stop the advance of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the east. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky announced this in his evening address..

“Now they want to use Christmas as a cover in order to stop the advance of our guys in the Donbass at least for a while and bring equipment, ammunition and mobilized people closer to our positions.. What will it give? Only another increase in the number of losses, ”he stressed, adding that the whole world knows how the Kremlin uses a respite in the war to continue it with renewed vigor..

On January 5, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that he had instructed Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu to impose a "

Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Oleksiy Danilov said that Ukraine will not conduct any negotiations with Russia over the so-called Christmas ceasefire..

US President Joe Biden also believes that Russia wants to use the declared ceasefire over Christmas to rest and regroup..

German Foreign Minister Annalena Berbock, in turn, said that Putin's decision to cease fire during Christmas does not indicate his desire to end the war..