The Ukrainian government has declined Russian President Putin’s call for a temporary truce during the Orthodox Christmas. Oleksiy Danilov, head of Ukraine’s National Security Council tweeted, “What does a bunch of little Kremlin devils have to do with the Christian holiday of Christmas?” Danilov told Ukrainian TV, “We will not negotiate any truces with them.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had proposed a Russian troop withdrawal before Christmas but was rebuffed by Moscow. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said of Moscow’s intentions, “We have no indications that President Putin has changed his plans, his goals for Ukraine.”
