Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced a temporary halt to military operations in Ukraine next week in honor of Victory Day, commemorating 80 years since the Soviet Union’s triumph over Nazi Germany in World War II.
According to a Kremlin statement released Monday, the ceasefire — described as a "humanitarian gesture" — will commence at midnight on May 8 and continue through midnight on May 11. During this period, Russian forces are expected to suspend all combat activities.
"The Russian side hopes Ukraine will reciprocate," the statement read, warning that any breaches by Ukrainian forces would prompt a swift and decisive response from Russia’s military.
Moscow also reiterated its willingness to engage in peace talks "without preconditions" and called for addressing the underlying causes of the conflict through dialogue with international stakeholders.
Ukraine has not yet publicly responded to Russia’s announcement.
The last ceasefire initiated by Putin occurred during the Easter holiday. Although initially surprising Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky later endorsed the pause, seeing it as a potential step toward a broader settlement. However, both sides ultimately accused each other of breaking the truce.
Efforts to broker a broader 30-day ceasefire, initially proposed by the United States last month, have so far failed.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump, who recently criticized Putin following a lethal Russian airstrike on Kyiv, urged the Russian leader to halt attacks and work toward a final peace agreement. Trump also met with Zelensky at the Vatican over the weekend, after which he expressed doubts about Putin’s commitment to ending the conflict.
