Asger Risom
Ukraine’s president says Moscow’s ceasefire promises are hollow as attacks intensify ahead of Victory Day.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he does not believe Russia will honor its proposed three-day ceasefire during Moscow’s upcoming Victory Day celebrations, HotNews.ro reported.
“This isn’t the first provocation, nor the first time Russia has promised a ceasefire,” Zelensky said during a joint press conference with Czech President Petr Pavel. “We know what we must do—we don’t believe them.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed a ceasefire from May 8 to 10, intended to coincide with Russian national commemorations and, according to the Kremlin, to test Kyiv’s willingness to negotiate peace.
Earlier this year, Moscow declared a short truce around Easter that reduced fighting but was never fully respected. In March, Russia rejected an unconditional ceasefire proposed jointly by Ukraine and the United States.
“Today and in recent days they talk of some kind of partial truce, but according to today’s military report, the number of enemy assaults is the highest in recent months,” Zelensky said, noting over 200 attacks on Saturday alone. “So no, we have no trust whatsoever.”
“Putin Could End the War with a Single Decision”
President Pavel, a former NATO general, said he would pay attention only to actors who genuinely commit to ending hostilities—not just talk about it. “Putin could end this war with a simple decision, but he has yet to show the will,” he added.
Zelensky arrived in Prague on Sunday for a two-day official visit accompanied by his wife. The Czech Republic has been one of Ukraine’s most consistent backers since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
In addition to welcoming over 500,000 Ukrainian refugees, Prague has supplied Kyiv with tanks, armored vehicles, and helicopters. It also spearheads a European initiative to supply Ukraine with artillery ammunition—a program that Zelensky described as “excellent.” The initiative is largely funded by NATO allies and aims to partially offset the European Union’s failure to deliver on its promise of one million artillery shells.