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synopsis
Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine to mark the 80th anniversary of Victory Day. The Kremlin said the ceasefire would run from midnight -on May 7-8 until midnight on May 10-11.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday announced a temporary ceasefire in the ongoing war with Ukraine. According to a statement by the Kremlin on Telegram, the ceasefire will be in effect from May 8 to May 11.
Moscow called on Ukraine to also announce a ceasefire and warned that if Ukraine violated it, Russia would respond "adequately and effectively."
This is not the first time Russia has offered a temporary halt in fighting. In April, Putin announced an Easter truce, but both Russia and Ukraine accused each other of violating it hundreds of times, although overall fighting did briefly reduce.
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The Kremlin said the new ceasefire aims to honor Victory Day, an important holiday celebrating the Soviet Union’s defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II.
Russia open to talks but demands territory
Earlier on Monday, Russia said it was willing to negotiate directly with Ukraine. However, it insisted that Kyiv must accept Russia’s control over five regions — Crimea, Sevastopol, Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia — for any talks to move forward.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has rejected these demands, calling the annexations illegal and vowing never to recognise them. European leaders have also warned that giving in to Russia's demands would encourage further aggression.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in a Brazilian newspaper interview that "the ball is not in our court" and blamed Ukraine for not showing willingness to negotiate.
Trump questions Putin’s intentions
US President Donald Trump, who attended Pope Francis's funeral over the weekend and met Zelensky there, questioned whether Putin genuinely wanted to end the war.
On his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump wrote, "There was no reason for Putin to be shooting missiles into civilian areas over the last few days. It makes me think he doesn't want to stop the war — he’s just tapping me along."
Russian missile strikes have killed dozens of civilians recently, including in Zelensky’s hometown Kryvyi Rih, the northeastern city of Sumy, and the capital Kyiv.
Fighting continues on the ground
Despite the ceasefire announcement, fighting remains intense on several fronts. On Monday, a Russian attack near the frontline city of Pokrovsk killed three civilians, prosecutors said.
Russia also claimed that, with the help of North Korean troops, it has retaken full control of the Kursk region after months of cross-border battles. Putin personally thanked North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for supporting the operation.
Additionally, Russian forces said they captured the village of Kamianka in the Kharkiv region over the weekend, marking a fresh gain on the battlefield.
