Putin Victory Day ceasefire in Ukraine, Zelenskyy calls for longer truce

The timing put the Kremlin’s intent under a harsh spotlight. Victory Day in Moscow has long been more than a remembrance of World War II: it is one of the Russian state’s most important political and military displays, with the annual parade used to project strength even as the war grinds on. Putin’s move echoed that symbolism, but it also raised the familiar question of whether the ceasefire was meant to save lives or stage-manage the holiday.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy answered by proposing a truce of his own, beginning at midnight on the night of May 5 to May 6, a longer pause than the one Putin offered. His response signaled that Kyiv did not view the Russian announcement as a serious basis for de-escalation and wanted a more durable halt to the fighting. Ukraine and outside observers are likely to judge the proposal not by the words around it, but by whether shelling, drone strikes and missile attacks actually stop along the front and around major cities.

The ceasefire also came after Donald Trump said on April 29 that he discussed a possible Ukraine ceasefire with Putin by phone, adding another layer of political pressure to the week’s maneuvers. Earlier reporting also indicated that Zelenskyy was seeking more details about a short-term Russian ceasefire proposal linked to May 9, underscoring how the Kremlin’s holiday diplomacy has become part of the broader bargaining over the war.