The Russian government has rejected Ukraine’s proposal to extend a unilateral three-day ceasefire, initially declared by Russian President Vladimir Putin in early May, into a 30-day truce.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Moscow had reviewed the offer from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky but emphasized that several key issues must be addressed before considering any long-term ceasefire.
“Without answers to these questions, it is difficult to enter into a long-term ceasefire,” Peskov stated, reflecting President Putin’s position.
In March, Putin had outlined similar conditions when former U.S. President Donald Trump proposed a month-long ceasefire.
Among these conditions, Ukraine would need to refrain from using the pause to regroup or rearm, and there would need to be a halt in Western arms deliveries to Kyiv. Notably, Putin did not offer any reciprocal concessions.
On Monday, Putin declared a unilateral ceasefire from May 8 to 11, coinciding with Russia’s annual Victory Parade on May 9, which commemorates the end of World War II. Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to attend the event in Moscow’s Red Square.
Peskov characterized the ceasefire as a “gesture of goodwill,” but Zelensky dismissed it as a strategic move by Putin to manipulate international perception.
