Russia has announced a unilateral two-day ceasefire in its ongoing war with Ukraine, timed to coincide with Victory Day commemorations marking the Soviet Union’s defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II.
The truce is scheduled for May 8 and 9 and was ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to the Russian defense ministry.
The ministry said the pause in fighting is intended to cover the period of official celebrations in Moscow and added that it expects Ukraine to observe the ceasefire as well. The move is seen as an effort to secure the capital during high-profile national events, according to news agencies.
The Kremlin also indicated that during a recent phone call, Putin informed former US President Donald Trump of Russia’s readiness to implement a temporary ceasefire for Victory Day, with Trump reportedly expressing support for the proposal.
However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said there had been no official communication from Russia regarding the terms of the ceasefire, despite claims circulating on Russian media platforms.
In response, Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine would introduce its own ceasefire regime starting at 00:00 on the night of May 5-6, signaling a parallel move amid uncertainty over coordination between both sides.
The conflicting announcements highlight ongoing tensions and lack of trust between the two countries, even as both signal temporary pauses in hostilities around a symbolic date in Russian history.
