Ukraine Has Rejected Russia's Three-Day Ceasefire In May, Saying It Wants A Lasting Ceasefire Instead
Zelenskyy said that Putin's proposal was more a performance to showcase goodwill to the US but added that it is impossible to build a plan to end the war in two or three days.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected Russian president Vladimir Putin's call for Ukraine to join a three-day truce in May, calling it a "theatrical performance" that will not help to lead to lasting peace.
On April 28, Putin had announced that Russia was declaring a 72-hour unilateral truce in Ukraine from May 8 to 10 to mark the anniversary of Russia's victory during World War II.
He called on Ukraine to agree to the pause in fighting and warned that Russia “will give an adequate and effective response” should Ukraine violate the truce, according to the BBC.
Russia had earlier declared on April 19 a surprise one-day truce in its war on Ukraine for Easter but both sides blamed each other for reportedly breaking it multiple times.
Speaking to reporters in a closed-door session in Kyiv on Saturday, May 3, Zelenskyy told reporters that the three-day truce was not a serious attempt to end the war, according to the Kyiv Independent.
"They kill until the 7th, pause for a couple of comfortable days, then start attacking again on the 11th," he said, the Kyiv Independent reported.
Zelenskyy said that Putin's proposal was more a performance to showcase goodwill to the US but added that it is impossible to build a plan to end the war in two or three days.
Zelenskyy reiterated that Ukraine had already accepted a proposal for a 30-day ceasefire put forward by the US, adding that it was ready to start that deal at any time, including before May 8.
"Yes, let's try for 30 days. Why a 30-day ceasefire? Because it's impossible to reach any agreements in three, five, or even seven days," Zelenskyy said.
He also said that Ukraine will not offer any safety guarantees to people at the Red Square parade in Moscow on May 9.
Russia's foreign ministry called the comments a "direct threat" to Russia's celebration, while the deputy head of Russia's security council wrote on Telegram that “in the event of a real provocation on Victory Day, nobody guarantees Kyiv will see May 10," according to the New York Times.
Putin had declared a one-day truce during Easter, but Ukraine has accused it of breaking it.
Kassy Cho
Sofia Hou
