Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a surprise announcement Monday (April 28), announced a three-day ceasefire in Ukraine from May 8 to May 10, aligning the pause in hostilities with Russia’s annual Victory Day celebrations on May 9. The ceasefire is set to begin at midnight on May 8 and end at 11:59 p.m. on May 10. The Kremlin warned, however, that any Ukrainian violations of the truce would be met with “a proportional and effective response” from Russian forces.
“On humanitarian grounds, and in honor of the 80th anniversary of Victory Day, the Russian Federation will suspend all military operations for 72 hours,” the Kremlin said in an official statement. “We call upon the Ukrainian side to demonstrate similar responsibility and join this ceasefire.”
This marks the second temporary truce Moscow has announced in recent weeks. A previous 30-hour ceasefire during Orthodox Easter saw a temporary drop in hostilities, though both sides reported numerous violations and accused each other of failing to uphold the terms.
The announcement came after the US President Donald Trump, who over the weekend, called on Putin to “stop shooting” and “sign a deal” to end the now three-year-old conflict. Trump has made diplomatic resolution in Ukraine a cornerstone of his foreign policy since taking office in January.
“No reason for Putin to be shooting missiles into civilian areas,” Trump said in a social media post after meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the funeral of Pope Francis. Trump’s administration has been trying to revive direct talks between Moscow and Kyiv, but negotiations remain stalled.
Russia sets conditions for peace talks
Earlier on Monday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reiterated that Moscow is open to dialogue — but only under specific conditions.
“We remain open to negotiations,” Lavrov said in an interview with Brazil’s O Globo. “But the ball is not in our court. So far, Kyiv has not demonstrated its ability to negotiate,” he added. Lavrov said that Moscow’s position on the conflict was “well-known”.
Kyiv has repeatedly rejected these territorial claims, calling them an illegal occupation. President Zelenskyy, speaking last week in a press conference, said Ukraine will “not legally recognise any temporarily occupied territories.”
European leaders echoed Ukraine’s stance, warning that accepting Russian territorial annexations would set a dangerous precedent and potentially embolden future aggression elsewhere.
Fragile moment in a long war
The ceasefire comes amid what US officials are calling a pivotal week for the future of diplomacy in the conflict, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. While much of eastern and southern Ukraine remains under Russian occupation, Ukrainian forces continue to resist, bolstered by Western support.
Despite efforts by Washington to negotiate a longer ceasefire last month — one that Ukraine accepted — Putin declined the offer, casting doubt on his commitment to ending the war.
In recent weeks, Russia has ramped up missile strikes on Ukrainian cities, killing dozens of civilians. Targets included President Zelenskyy’s hometown of Kryvyi Rih, as well as the cities of Sumy and Kyiv.
With the war’s toll mounting, analysts warn the coming days may determine whether diplomacy has any real chance — or whether the battlefield remains the only venue for this bitter and drawn-out conflict.
With inputs from Agencies.
