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Russia Snubs 30-Day Ceasefire, Demands Silence for Victory Day Parade
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![Ivan_khomenko]( "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
-21d0b63c17f6020e4df75f6c6f9a2f4f.jpg "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
Russia has dismissed Ukraine’s proposal for a 30-day ceasefire, opting instead to push forward with its own limited three-day truce timed around the May 9 Victory Day celebrations in Moscow.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized the Russian offer as performative and reiterated Kyiv’s support for a longer, unconditional ceasefire plan, as proposed by the United States.
Speaking to journalists on May 3, Zelenskyy described Russia’s proposed May 8–10 pause in hostilities as a “theatrical performance,” intended to secure a favorable environment for leader Vladimir Putin’s symbolic public events. He emphasized that Ukraine is prepared to halt hostilities but stressed that a three-day window is insufficient to make any meaningful progress.
“It’s not possible to reach any agreements in three, five, or seven days,” Zelenskyy said. “We support the American model of an unconditional 30-day ceasefire starting May 7 or sooner.”
The Kremlin, however, portrayed its offer as a test of Ukraine’s willingness to seek long-term peace. Russian spokesperson Dmitry Peskov claimed the May 8–10 truce would “demonstrate Kyiv’s readiness to de-escalate,” framing the refusal as reluctance to engage.
Peskov also reiterated Russia’s earlier narrative, invoking references to “neo-Nazism” and signaling that Moscow is still awaiting a definitive Ukrainian response.
Russian officials reacted sharply to Ukraine’s rejection. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova called Zelenskyy’s statements “a terrorist threat of global scale,” accusing him of endangering foreign leaders and veterans expected to attend the Moscow parade.
Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chair of Russia’s Security Council, escalated the rhetoric further, stating that “no one can guarantee that Kyiv will see May 10” if provocations occur on Victory Day.
Meanwhile, Ukraine recalled the precedent of previous Russian ceasefire declarations, such as the April “Easter truce,” which was undermined by continued shelling along the front lines. Ukrainian officials emphasized that symbolic pauses serve more to benefit Russia’s public messaging than to reduce hostilities.
“Helping Putin exit isolation by ensuring a safe atmosphere for his guests on May 9 is not something anyone will support,” Zelenskyy said.
Earlier, on April 28, the Kremlin announced a ceasefire in Ukraine from May 8 to 11 for Victory Day celebrations, urging Ukraine to follow suit.
-924c3c302c27387e19f6c44aaeb98745.png "Photo of Maryna Kulakova")
