Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is slamming Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin’s plan to hold a three-day cease-fire to recognize a Moscow holiday as sheer “manipulation.
“Yet again, another attempt at manipulation: For some reason, everyone is supposed to wait until May 8 before ceasing fire — just to provide Putin with silence for his parade,” Zelensky said on X on Monday.
“We value human lives, not parades,” added the Ukrainian leader, whose country was invaded by Russia in February 2022.
The Kremlin on Monday declared a 72-hour pause in fighting next month to mark the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany.
Zelensky ripped the plan as performative, calling on Moscow to instead commit to a real, multi-day cease-fire backed by the US.
“We in Ukraine never wanted a single second of this war,” the Ukrainian president said. “Back on March 11, we responded positively to the American proposal for a full cease-fire.
“We made our own proposal to Russia – bilaterally – to halt strikes at least on civilian targets,” Zelensky said. “We also proposed making the Easter cease-fire full and extending it for 30 days.”
The Easter cease-fire did not last, as both sides accused the other of attacking each other, with battles raging across the frontlines despite the one-day truce agreement.
“The cease-fire should not be just for a few days, only to return to killing afterward. It must be immediate, full, and unconditional — for at least 30 days to ensure it is secure and guaranteed,” Zelensky said. “This is the foundation that could lead to real diplomacy.”
Zelensky’s call for a wider cease-fire comes as Putin continues to refuse Ukraine’s and America’s push for peace, with the Moscow strongman now demanding that the US lift its sanctions, that Kyiv be “demilitarized,” and that negotiators recognize that 20% of Ukraine now belongs to Russia.
The Kremlin is also demanding that Ukraine alter its constitution and permanently disavow its hopes of joining NATO one day.
Kremlin Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reiterated Monday that Russia will accept nothing less than total victory, with Moscow rebuking Trump’s call for peace after his special envoy Steve Witkoff failed to make progress on ending the three-year war when he met with Putin on Friday.
Kyiv has slammed Moscow’s demands as nonstarters.
The Kremlin has only upped its demands since it began negotiating with Witkoff.
The White House said Monday that Trump has grown “increasingly frustrated” by the raging war, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio claiming this week would be “very critical” in the administration’s response to the cease-fire effort.