President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia ordered a three-day unilateral cease-fire in Ukraine next week, the Kremlin said on Monday, soon after President Trump reiterated his frustration with Russia’s refusal to stop the war.
The Kremlin said that Russian forces would stop fighting on May 8 for 72 hours to mark the May 9 celebration of the Soviet Union’s victory in World War II, a major holiday in Russia. The announcement was the second time in two weeks that Russia promised a temporary pause in the fighting.
“During this period, all hostilities will cease,” the Kremlin said in a statement. “Russia believes that the Ukrainian side should follow this example.”
Mr. Putin’s spokesman, Dmitri S. Peskov, said the declaration “underlines our willingness to get on the path toward a peaceful resolution.”
However, Andrii Sybiha, Ukraine’s foreign minister, responded to the Kremlin statement by saying that “if Russia truly wants peace, it must cease fire immediately.” He added that Ukraine remained ready for a 30-day halt in the fighting, something that Mr. Putin has thus far rejected.
“Why wait until May 8th?” Mr. Sybiha wrote on X. He continued, “Ukraine is ready to support a lasting, durable, and full ceasefire.”
