Italian Premier Meloni describes Putin’s cease-fire offer for Ukraine as ‘propaganda’

By ELENA BECATOROS and PAOLO SANTALUCIA
Associated Press

BORGO EGNAZIA, Italy (AP) — Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni has dismissed a cease-fire offer for Ukraine by Russian President Vladimir Putin as “propaganda” as she wraps up a Group of Seven summit that saw a deal reached for a $50 billion loan to Ukraine. The Russian president said Friday he would “immediately” order a cease-fire in Ukraine and start negotiations if Kyiv begins withdrawing troops from the four regions Moscow annexed in 2022 and renounces plans to join NATO. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who was one of several world leaders who attended the G7 summit as a guest, has rejected what he called an ultimatum by Putin to surrender more territory.