Russians call on Ukrainians to stop fighting at Mariupol on Sunday
The Russian Defense Ministry issued an emergency statement calling on the remaining Ukrainian forces at the Azovstal plant in Mariupol to lay down their arms and halt fighting on Sunday morning.
“Taking into account the catastrophic situation at Azovstal Iron and Steel Works and being guided by purely humane principles, the Russian Armed Forces suggest that the militants of the nationalist battalions and foreign mercenaries stop any hostilities and lay down their arms from 06:00 (Moscow time) on April 17. All those who lay down their arms are guaranteed life,” the ministry said in a statement.
Earlier, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy said in an interview with Ukrainian media Ukrainska Pravda that the continuing siege of the southeastern city could scuttle attempts to negotiate an end to the war.
"The destruction of all our guys in Mariupol -- what they are doing now -- can put an end to any format of negotiations," he said.
-ABC News' Tanya Stukalova and Jason Volack




