Zelensky Rejects 72-Hour Ceasefire, insists on 30-Day Truce

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appeared to reject a 72-hour ceasefire offered by Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday.

Early Monday, Putin announced that Russian forces would observe a ceasefire from midnight May 7–8 until midnight May 11–12, coinciding with Russia’s May 9 Victory Day celebrations marking the end of World War II in Europe.

In response late Monday, Zelensky insisted that Putin agree instead to a 30-day ceasefire, a proposal Ukraine had previously accepted in negotiations with the United States back in March — a proposal Russia ultimately rejected.

Zelensky characterized the 72-hour ceasefire offer as a “manipulation” and emphasized that he prioritized “lives over parades,” referring to the military celebrations scheduled across Russia on May 9.

Earlier this month, Putin had called for a 30-day ceasefire during the Easter holiday. Zelensky initially declined, calling instead for an unconditional ceasefire, only to reverse course hours later after reportedly receiving calls from European and American allies.

The Easter ceasefire ultimately failed. Although there were reported lulls in some areas of the front, the Russian military reported nearly 5,000 violations of the ceasefire, with civilian casualties occurring in the Belgorod region. Ukraine, for its part, accused Russia of not adhering to the truce.

During the ceasefire period, Ukrainian forces reportedly used the lull in fighting to strengthen their positions on the frontlines. They recaptured the Monastery in Gornal, located in Russia’s Kursk region, as well as several settlements in the Sumy region and Donbas, where Ukrainian troops advanced into towns and strategic positions.

Russian officials expressed skepticism that Ukraine would comply with any future ceasefire, even if an agreement were reached. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated, “The Kyiv regime will hardly be able to guarantee that the Ukrainian Armed Forces will adhere to such a temporary truce," claiming that President Zelensky and his government do not have full control over certain units within the Ukrainian military.