Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his forces to stop fighting in Ukraine for 36 hours from midday Friday in what appeared to be a sign of conciliation in an invasion now into its 11th month. There’s been no response so far from Ukrainian officials.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
earlier urged Putin to call a unilateral
cease-fire in Ukraine as Moscow stuck to its long-held line that Kyiv needs to give ground first.
The comment marks the first time
Erdogan, a key ally, has called on Putin’s forces to suspend fighting without a commitment from Ukraine that it would do the same. Erdogan also spoke Thursday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is facing
renewed pressure to deliver heavier weapons to Ukraine after France said it would provide “light combat tanks” and President Joe Biden confirmed the US may send Bradley Fighting Vehicles.
