The Russian President has declared a three-day ceasefire in Ukraine, after his forces spent the past few days bombarding Ukrainian cities and towns with missiles and drones
A brief pause in the conflict has commenced in Ukraine following President Putin’s announcement of a three-day halt to the fighting, coinciding with Russia’s Victory Day commemorations to mark the defeat of Nazi Germany.
During World War Two, referred to as the Great Patriotic War in Russia, approximately 27 million Soviet soldiers and civilians lost their lives while vanquishing Hitler’s formidable war machine and counterattacking all the way to Berlin.
Currently, Putin seeks to draw parallels between the historical self-sacrifice and his current unauthorized assault on Ukraine, falsely justifying the invasion under the pretence of expelling Nazis and fascists from the nation. The newly announced ceasefire took effect at 10pm GMT on Wednesday and is scheduled to conclude on May 11.
Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, said on Wednesday: “The only obstacle to ceasefire is Kiev, who violates the agreements and is not willing to discuss conditions for a long-term cessation of hostilities.”
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The Kremlin representative added: “The Ukrainian armed forces’ conduct during the 72-hour ceasefire on May 8-10, declared by Russian President Vladimir Putin in connection with the Victory Day, will be a test for their peaceful intentions.”, reports the Express.
Putin is trying to project a generous image by offering a break in hostilities, but this is starkly contrasted by the relentless assault on Ukrainian cities like Kharkiv, Sumy, and Odesa, where Russian forces have been unleashing long-range missiles and drone strikes over the last three days.
Kiev’s military hit back on Tuesday night with an extensive drone offensive across Russia, resulting in over 100 of their drones being downed overnight.
Moscow has issued a stern warning that any breach of the three-day truce will be met “immediately” with “an appropriate response.”
In addition to the ceasefire in Ukraine, Putin is set to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany with displays of military might in Moscow, aiming to reinforce Russia’s image as a formidable power capable of continuing its aggressive campaign against Ukraine.
Concurrently, efforts to negotiate an end to the Russia-Ukraine conflict or even secure a more extended ceasefire seem to be stumbling. The typically outspoken Trump administration has expressed scepticism about the prospects of peace talks after it became evident that Putin is not a trustworthy negotiating partner.
On Wednesday, Vice President JD Vance conceded: “I wouldn’t say that the Russians are uninterested in bringing this thing to a resolution.”
He added, “What I would say is, right now, the Russians are asking for a certain set of requirements, a certain set of concessions in order to end the conflict. We think they’re asking for too much.”
Red lines for both Moscow and Kyiv, particularly the situation in Russian-occupied Crimea, remain thorny issues in ongoing discussions, with Trump’s team showing minimal progress.
The Guardian quoted Trump agreeing with his deputy after being queried about Vance’s remarks: “It’s possible that’s right.”
Trump expressed his unease about the developments, stating, “We are getting to a point where some decisions are going to have to be made,” and continued, “I’m not happy about it … I’m not happy about it.”