Zelensky vs. Putin: Rival ceasefires declared ahead of May 9

Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin have announced competing ceasefire proposals ahead of Russia’s Victory Day celebrations, underscoring ongoing tensions in the war.

Zelensky said Ukraine is ready to begin an open-ended ceasefire from midnight on May 6, adding that Kyiv will respond in line with Russia’s actions from that point forward. His proposal came after Moscow called for a shorter truce covering May 8–9, when Russia marks the anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II with a large military parade, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.

The Ukrainian leader had earlier dismissed the Russian proposal as “not serious” and refused to guarantee security for the planned parade in Moscow. Zelensky also mocked concerns about potential drone threats during the event.

The Kremlin has warned it would retaliate if the Victory Day celebrations were disrupted, raising concerns about possible escalation around the symbolic date.

Previous attempts at temporary truces have failed to hold. During a recent Orthodox Easter ceasefire, both sides accused each other of violations, highlighting the difficulty of securing even short-term pauses in fighting.

The latest developments come as Ukraine launched a large-scale missile and drone attack targeting multiple regions inside Russia. One of the reported targets was a key military-industrial facility involved in producing components for high-precision weapons used by Russian forces.

With both sides setting different terms and timelines, uncertainty remains over whether any ceasefire will take hold in the coming days.

News.Az 

By Aysel Mammadzada