Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov has rejected a proposal from Kyiv to extend a unilateral three-day ceasefire declared by Russian President Vladimir Putin in early May to a full 30 days.
Peskov confirmed that Moscow had reviewed the offer put forward by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky but stated that several key issues needed to be resolved first.
“Without answers to these questions, it is difficult to enter into a long-term ceasefire,”; he said, emphasising that this was Putin’s position.
In March, Putin had outlined conditions when U.S. President Donald Trump proposed a similar 30-day ceasefire. These included restrictions on Ukraine using the pause to regroup and rearm its forces, as well as a halt to Western arms shipments to Kyiv. Putin offered no concessions in return.
On Monday, Putin declared a unilateral ceasefire from May 8 to 11, coinciding with Russia’s annual Victory Parade on May 9, commemorating the end of World War II.
Chinese President Xi Jinping is among the foreign dignitaries expected to attend this year’s event in Moscow’s Red Square.
Peskov described the ceasefire as a “gesture of goodwill,”; while Zelensky dismissed it as another attempt by Putin to manipulate the situation.
