“Russia has consistently rejected (all proposals) and continues to manipulate the world, trying to deceive the United States,” Zelensky said.

Putin has announced a so-called “humanitarian” truce in Russia’s war against Ukraine to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe. The U.S. has intensified efforts to reach a settlement in separate peace talks with Ukraine and Russia.

Zelensky slammed Putin’s proposal for a short-lived truce and pointed to Russia’s strikes on civilian targets as proof that Russia does not want to end its war against Ukraine.

“We value human lives, not parades. That’s why we believe — and the world believes — that there is no reason to wait until May 8,” Zelensky added.

On May 9, Russia holds grandiose military parades in celebration of the end of World War II in Europe. Ukraine and most European nations mark May 8 as Victory in Europe Day.

“The ceasefire should not be just for a few days, only to return to killing afterward. It must be immediate, full, and unconditional — for at least 30 days to ensure it is secure and guaranteed,” Zelensky continued, reiterating his calls for a full ceasefire.

Zelensky called for increased international pressure on Russia to stop its war amid a lack of agreement from Moscow on a ceasefire.

“(E)ach new day brings… clear proof that pressure must be exerted on Russia — and it must be strong enough — to force them in Moscow to end this war, a war that only Russia needs,” the president added.

The Kremlin has shown signs it is unwilling to move forward on a peace deal with Ukraine. Russian authorities have listed maximalist demands in ceasefire negotiations with Ukraine and the U.S.

Ukraine has already agreed to a U.S.-proposed full 30-day ceasefire, saying that Kyiv is ready if Russia also agrees to the terms. So far, Moscow has refused.

Zelensky has repeatedly called for a full 30-day ceasefire, stating Ukraine insists on an “immediate, full, and unconditional ceasefire.”

The ceasefire will be in effect from midnight on May 8 until midnight on May 11, according to the Kremlin’s statement.

“During this period, all military actions will cease. Russia believes that the Ukrainian side should follow this example,” the statement read.

The announcement comes as Moscow continues to reject Kyiv’s demand for a full and unconditional ceasefire as the first step toward a broader peace deal.

U.S. President Donald Trump has intensified his push for a ceasefire in Ukraine, urging Putin to “sit down and sign a deal.” U.S. officials have previously threatened to walk away from the peace efforts unless progress is reached soon.

The Kremlin claimed that Russia remains ready for “peace negotiations with Ukraine without preconditions” and expressed willingness for “constructive engagement” with international partners.

Russia celebrates the end of World War II in Europe on May 9, marking the occasion with pompous military parades. Most other European nations, including Ukraine, mark May 8 as Victory in Europe Day.

Andrii Kovalenko, an official at Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, questioned why Moscow does not instead declare a “full and comprehensive ceasefire.”

“Anything that is not a comprehensive ceasefire is Russian manipulation for informational and military purposes, an attempt to hide its intent to continue the war,” Kovalenko said after Putin’s announcement.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reacted to Putin’s announcement, highlighting that Trump seeks a permanent ceasefire.

“I understand that Vladimir Putin offered a temporary ceasefire this morning. (President Trump) has made it clear he wants to see a permanent ceasefire first to stop the killing, stop the bloodshed. And while he remains optimistic he can strike a deal, he’s also being realistic as well,” Leavitt said.

“Both leaders need to come to the table to negotiate their way out. And I think that the president meeting with President Zelensky (on April 26) shows that he is exuding a lot of effort and time into this because he wants to be a peacemaker president, which he was in his first term. He intends to do that again,” she added.

The Victory Day ceasefire is the latest in a series of truce initiatives announced by Moscow, which it has itself repeatedly violated.

Earlier this month, Russia declared a ceasefire over the Easter holiday, though President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Moscow of nearly 3,000 violations between April 19 and April 21. Ukraine has also said that Russian forces repeatedly breached a partial truce on attacks against energy facilities brokered on March 25.

Russia has repeatedly proclaimed its supposed readiness for peace talks while simultaneously pushing for maximalist demands. Kyiv has dismissed these declarations as a propaganda stunt, noting that Russian forces have only intensified their attacks on Ukrainian cities and towns.

This demand, reinforced last week by Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, underscores how Russia continues to push its maximalist demands despite the U.S. efforts to broker a peace deal.

Russia illegally declared the four Ukrainian oblasts as annexed in 2022 following widely condemned sham referenda, but it does not fully control the territories. Crimea, occupied by Russia since 2014, was also included in Moscow’s territorial claims.

The U.S. is reportedly considering a de jure recognition of Russia’s control over Crimea as part of a potential peace deal and de facto control over other occupied territories. At the same time, U.S. officials are said to have rejected a demand for Ukraine’s complete withdrawal from the other four regions.

Asked about Russia’s conditions to enter peace talks, Lavrov also named a ban on Ukraine’s entry into NATO, the country’s demilitarization, and changes to Ukraine’s legislation that would restore the position of the Russian language, culture, and religious organizations.

These conditions are effectively the same as the initial demands raised by Moscow at the start of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Lavrov also stated that Ukraine’s ban on direct negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin must be lifted. Previously, the Kremlin said that Putin would be ready to enter talks with Kyiv without “any preconditions” once this restriction was removed, seemingly contradicting Lavrov’s later statements.

Ukraine has ruled out ceding its territory as part of any peace agreement, and both Kyiv and its allies have rejected demands for a reduction of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

“All of Kyiv’s commitments must be legally guaranteed, have enforcement mechanisms, and be permanent,” Lavrov continued, adding that Russia also demands the lifting of Western sanctions, the abolition of international lawsuits and arrest warrants against Russian officials, and the return of frozen Russian assets.

Western governments have already begun using money linked to those assets to support Ukraine. In October 2024, the Group of Seven (G7) approved nearly $50 billion in loans for Kyiv, to be repaid using interest earned on frozen Russian funds.

Additionally, Lavrov said Moscow would demand “reliable security guarantees” from NATO, the European Union, and their member states against supposed future threats on Russia’s western borders.

Lavrov said Russia remains open to negotiations but claimed “the ball is not on our side,” accusing Kyiv of lacking “political will for peace.” He also added that the U.S. “has begun to better understand” Russia’s positions, hinting at the foreign policy shift brought about by U.S. President Donald Trump.

It has been more than 45 days since Ukraine accepted a U.S.-proposed 30-day ceasefire first introduced in March. Moscow rejected the plan, demanding a complete halt to Western military aid to Ukraine.

Despite claiming to support de-escalation, Russia has continued offensive operations along the front lines. Moscow has also intensified its attacks on civilian infrastructure, most recently killing 13 people in an attack on Kyiv on April 24.

Meanwhile, a separate partial ceasefire covering Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, brokered during talks in Saudi Arabia in late March, has also been repeatedly violated.

According to Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry, Russia has breached the energy truce more than 30 times since it came into effect on March 25, targeting critical power infrastructure across the country.