Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered a surprise three-day ceasefire from May 8-10 to align with Moscow’s World War II Victory Day commemorations, according to the Kremlin.
Moscow expressed its expectation that Kyiv would reciprocate and stated it was prepared to respond if the ceasefire was violated.
Putin had similarly ordered a pause in fighting over Easter, though both sides accused each other of hundreds of violations, despite a noticeable, if temporary, reduction in hostilities.
“The Russian side is declaring a ceasefire during the 80th anniversary of Victory Day, from midnight on May 7-8 to midnight on May 10-11. All combat operations will be suspended during this period,” the Kremlin said in a statement.
“Russia believes that the Ukrainian side should follow this example. In the event of violations of the truce by the Ukrainian side, the Russian armed forces will give an adequate and effective response,” it added.
Putin had previously rejected a US-backed proposal for a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire that Ukraine had already accepted.
Kyiv and its European allies criticized Putin’s earlier 30-hour Easter ceasefire offer as a mere public relations move, questioning his sincerity about ending the war.
Since launching its Ukraine offensive in February 2022, Russia has seized large parts of four Ukrainian regions and claimed them as its own, in addition to Crimea, which it annexed in 2014.
‘Tapping Me Along’
Putin’s order of a ceasefire comes at the beginning of what the United States indicated would be a crucial week for the chances of a ceasefire that could determine how long Washington keeps trying to broker a deal.
After a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at Pope Francis’s funeral on Saturday, Donald Trump questioned whether the Russian leader was serious about peace.
“There was no reason for Putin to be shooting missiles into civilian areas, cities and towns, over the last few days. It makes me think that maybe he doesn’t want to stop the war, he’s just tapping me along,” Trump had said on Truth Social.
Russian missiles have killed dozens of civilians over the last month in large-scale strikes on Zelensky’s home city of Kryvyi Rig, the northeastern city of Sumy and the capital Kyiv.
Russia had earlier on Monday said it was ready to negotiate directly with Ukraine, but that recognition of its claims over five Ukrainian regions including Crimea were “imperative” to resolving the conflict.
Ukraine has denounced the annexations as an illegal land grab and says it will never recognise them, while European officials have warned that accepting Moscow’s demands set a dangerous precedent that could lead to future Russian aggression.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in an interview with Brazilian newspaper O Globo published Monday that “we remain open to negotiations.”
“But the ball is not in our court. So far, Kyiv has not demonstrated its ability to negotiate,” he said, adding Moscow’s position on the conflict was “well-known”.
“International recognition of Russia’s ownership of Crimea, Sevastopol, the Donetsk People’s Republic, the Lugansk People’s Republic, the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions is imperative,” he said, using the Kremlin’s names for the Ukrainian regions.
Zelensky said last Friday that Ukraine would “not legally recognise any temporarily occupied territories”, and has previously called the demilitarisation demand “incomprehensible”.
Kursk Retaken
Trump, who boasted before his inauguration he could halt Russia’s assault on Ukraine within “24 hours”, launched a diplomatic offensive to stop the fighting after taking office in January.
But the White House has voiced frustration with both sides, as the conflict that has devastated swathes of eastern Ukraine and killed tens of thousands of people drags on.
Russia and Ukraine have not held direct talks on the fighting since the start of Moscow’s offensive in 2022.
Early Monday, a Russian attack on a Ukrainian village near the frontline city of Pokrovsk killed a married couple and another local resident, regional prosecutors said.
Meanwhile, Russia over the weekend announced it had taken full control of its Kursk region with the help of North Korean troops, more than eight months after Kyiv launched a cross-border ground assault.
Putin thanked North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Monday for help with the operation, which has denied Kyiv a key bargaining chip in future talks with Moscow.
The Russian army said Monday it had taken control of the village of Kamianka in the northeastern Kharkiv region, in its latest battlefield advance. (AFP)
What you should know
President Putin’s announced ceasefire during Russia’s Victory Day celebrations is seen by critics as another tactical move amid ongoing tensions, as Russia insists on Ukraine recognizing annexed territories before any meaningful negotiations can happen.
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