Kremlin Rejects German Ceasefire Ultimatum, Says “You Can’t Speak to Russia That Way”

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov responded to Western demands that Russia agree to a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine, rejecting the proposal’s tone, Meduza reported on May 12.

“Such ultimatums are unacceptable to Russia. This kind of language doesn’t work. You can’t speak to Russia that way,” Peskov said during a press briefing.

Earlier, the German government spokesperson Stefan Kornelius warned that “the clock is ticking” and that Russian leader Vladimir Putin must respond to the proposed ceasefire in Ukraine by the end of May 12. Failure to do so will trigger a new round of sanctions against Russia, he said.

“The clock is ticking, we still have 12 hours until the end of this day,” Kornelius reportedly said, adding that Berlin is coordinating with European partners on additional sanctions.

On May 10, during the coalition of the willing summit in Kyiv, world leaders agreed to use the threat of new sanctions as leverage to compel Russia to accept a ceasefire.

That same day, US President Donald Trump reportedly expressed support for a 30-day ceasefire set to begin on May 12, provided Russia agrees to the terms.

In response to Putin’s proposal to resume direct peace talks with Ukraine starting May 15, leaders, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, and US envoy Keith Kellogg, emphasized that negotiations cannot proceed unless Russia first commits to a full and unconditional ceasefire.