Ukraine has announced a ceasefire starting Wednesday, a move that contrasts with conflicting statements regarding a cessation of hostilities. Russian President Vladimir Zelenskyy stated on Monday that despite reports circulating on social media, he had not received any official signals from Russia concerning a ceasefire. He emphasized, “To date, there has been no official appeal to Ukraine regarding the modalities of a cessation of fighting, as claimed in Russian social media”.
Zelenskyy stressed that the concept of human life holds a much higher value than any commemorative celebration. In this context, he declared, “We are announcing a ceasefire starting at midnight from May 5th to May 6th”. According to Zelenskyy, this timeline allows sufficient time to verify the effectiveness of the ceasefire. He added that following this date, Ukraine would act based on mutual understanding, asserting that it was time for the Russian leadership to take concrete steps towards ending the war, particularly noting that the Russian Ministry of Defense believes it cannot hold a military parade in Moscow without Ukraine’s good cooperation.
This follows Russia’s earlier unilateral announcement of a truce for May 8th and 9th. Russian state media reported on Monday, citing military sources, that the break was intended to commemorate Victory Day. They claimed that Vladimir Putin, acting as the Commander-in-Chief, made the decision himself.
