Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky rejected Russia’s proposal for a temporary ceasefire during Victory Day celebrations, calling the request “not very serious.”
This comes as Putin announced a multi-day pause in hostilities to mark the 80th anniversary of Victory Day in 2025, expecting Ukraine to reciprocate.
Meanwhile, Ukraine responded by suggesting an immediate and sustained 30-day ceasefire to Russia instead of a limited truce. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha criticized Russia’s timing, arguing that a genuine peace effort should not wait for a specific date and should last longer than a few days.
“This simply looks very unserious… to play in order to give Putin a soft atmosphere to come out of isolation on 9 May, and for everyone to be comfortable and safe — those leaders, or friends, or Putin’s partners who will come, for various reasons, to the Kremlin Square. No one will help Putin,” Zelenskyy said, according to Suspilne.
The Ukrainian president emphasized that his government cannot take responsibility for security inside Russian territory and advised foreign officials against attending the Moscow celebrations.
Zelenskyy expressed concern that Russia might stage provocations during this period and blame Ukraine, noting, “They can take various steps from their side: both arsons and explosions, and then blame us.”
“We do not recommend visiting Russia [on 9 May] from a security point of view,” the president added.
In response to Zelenskyy’s position, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova sharply criticized the Ukrainian leader, according to Russian state-funded RIA Novosti.
“The fact that Zelensky has nothing sacred, we have known for a long time – he betrayed his own veteran grandfather and deceived the people,” Zakharova said.
She further alleged that Zelenskyy had “hit rock bottom” by threatening the safety of veterans attending Victory Day commemorations.
Previously, Putin ordered an “Easter truce” in Ukraine, citing humanitarian reasons and expecting Ukraine to reciprocate. However, Russian forces continued attacks and used the pause to rotate troops and stage provocations, with Ukraine reporting nearly 3,000 breaches during that period.