Ukraine Calls for Immediate Ceasefire in Response to Russia: Live Updates

02:40 PM EDT

Trump’s message to Putin on ending the war

President Donald Trump has shared a message of what he wants Russian leader Vladimir Putin to do to end the war in Ukraine.

“I want him to stop shooting, sit down and sign a deal,” Trump told reporters in clip, shared by the White House’s X, formerly Twitter, team.

“We have the confines of a deal, I believe.”

02:31 PM EDT

‘A ceasefire is not needed for a parade’: Ukraine official

A ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine war is needed as the next step to peace, not simply “for a parade”, Volodymyr Zelensky’s top aide said on Monday.

Russian leader Vladimir Putin declared a temporary three-day ceasefire next month to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Soviet Union in the Second World War.

But Ukraine has called for an immediate end to hostilities with a “lasting, durable” 30-day ceasefire.

“A ceasefire is needed not for a parade, but for real and sustainable peace,” Andriy Yermak posted on Telegram.

02:12 PM EDT

US calls to stop North Korea’s military deployment in war against Ukraine

U.S. State Department has called for North Korea’s involvement in the Russia-Ukraine war to come to an end.

“We continue to be concerned by (North Korea’s) direct involvement in the war,” a State Department spokesperson said in an email to Reuters.

“(North Korea’s) military deployment to Russia and any support provided by the Russian Federation to (North Korea) in return must end.”

12:49 PM EDT

Ukraine wants minerals deal as soon as possible, says foreign ministry

Ukraine wants its minerals deal with the United States to be finalized as soon as possible, the Ukrainian foreign ministry said on Monday.

Ministry spokesman Heorhii Tykhyi said on X that both sides were working on “a mutually beneficial deal”.

12:31 PM EDT

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine ‘biggest threat to Atlantic-European alliance’: Ambassador to NATO

U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker has called Russia’s invasion of Ukraine “the biggest threat to the Atlantic-European alliance,” according to NewsMax.

Whitaker added the threat came after Russia “invaded Ukraine.”

President Donald Trump has recently veered away from talking about Russia’s invasion, suggesting that both sides were at fault over the the Ukraine-Russia war. At one point, Trump even falsely suggested that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had started the war.

But Trump’s recent frustrations with the Russian leader may be influencing a change in rhetoric around the war.

12:20 PM EDT

Rep. Smith finds ‘tiny sliver of hope’ in Trump-Zelenskyy Vatican talks

Rep. Adam Smith said that he has found “a tiny sliver of hope” for Ukraine in President Trump and President Zelenskyy’s Vatican meeting.

“It’s just that tiny sliver of hope that maybe at some point President Trump is finally going to get what’s going on, and we act accordingly,” Smith said in an interview with CNN News Central.

“But it’s early. And we’ll see. We’ll see if the ceasefire holds. We’ll see if President Trump’s administration actually is willing to put pressure on Putin to force him to the peace table. It’s a sliver of hope, but there’s still a lot that we have to learn about where it goes from here.”

11:59 AM EDT

Putin’s fear of attacks on Victory Day behind abrupt ceasefire: Kyiv

Russian servicemen of the Kashtan battalion tactical group of Akhmat special forces fire a D-20 howitzer towards Ukrainian positions amid Russia’s military operation in Ukraine, in Kursk region, Russia on April 9, 2025.
Russian servicemen of the Kashtan battalion tactical group of Akhmat special forces fire a D-20 howitzer towards Ukrainian positions amid Russia’s military operation in Ukraine, in Kursk region, Russia on April 9, 2025.
Sergey Bobylev / Sputnik via AP

Russia’s declaration of a unilateral ceasefire in Ukraine for three days next month was met with skepticism by Ukraine.

The Kremlin declared a ceasefire on Monday to observe the 80th anniversary of the Great Patriotic War. This is the term used by Russia to describe its participation in World War II after it joined the Allies in 1941, and the victory over Nazi Germany in 1945. Moscow has consistently claimed its invasion of Ukraine aimed to “de-Nazify” the country, a pretext widely rejected.

Russia will not conduct any military operations between midnight on May 8 and midnight on May 11, the Kremlin said, adding that “Russia believes that the Ukrainian side should follow this example.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin is likely hoping to head off any possible Ukrainian attacks on May 9, when Russia typically hosts major celebrations, said Oleksandr Merezkho, the head of Ukraine’s parliamentary foreign affairs committee and a member of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky‘s party.

It is a “purely propagandistic gesture,” Merezkho told Newsweek.

Read in full from Ellie Cook on Newsweek.

11:49 AM EDT

Russia launches 166 drones overnight, says Ukraine

Ukraine’s air force said that Russia had launched more than 160 drones last night.

The 166 drones were launched over Ukraine’s central Cherkasy region and the northern Sumy region.

Around 40 of the 166 were shot down and another 74 drones were lost in location, meaning that its course was electronically rerouted, the air force announced on Telegram.

11:39 AM EDT

Trump, Zelensky, Macron working together to pursue ‘solid ceasefire’: Report

President Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and French President Emmanuel Macron are working together over the next few days to obtain “a solid ceasefire,” a French diplomatic official told AP over the weekend.

The diplomat said a truce is a “prior condition for a peace negotiation that respects the interest of Ukraine and the Europeans.”

11:31 AM EDT

Russia preparing to use motorbikes in offensives in Ukraine: Report

Moscow is preparing to use motorbikes for its future offensives in Ukraine, in an attempt to offset drones, a U.S. think tank told Business Insider.

“Russia is likely preparing to systematically integrate motorcycle usage into offensive operations in Ukraine for Summer and Fall 2025, likely to offset adept Ukrainian drone capabilities,” the Institute for the Study of War said over the weekend.

The think tank reports from the front lines of Russian soldiers training and using motorbikes and footage, shared by Russia’s defense ministry, showing a soldier riding a motorcycle through a course with explosions on either side of him.

The think tank said it had seen an “increased trend of Russian units conducting mechanized and combined motorized assaults and transporting infantry with motorcycles and civilian vehicles throughout the frontline.”

11:09 AM EDT

Putin thanks North Korea for troops

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday thanked North Korea for sending thousands of troops to assist in the war in Ukraine, hours after Pyongyang confirmed its involvement for the first time.

Putin promised not to forget the sacrifices of the North Koreans, in a statement most on the Kremlin’s website.

“The Russian people will never forget the heroism of the DPRK special forces,” it read.

“We will always honor the heroes who gave their lives for Russia, for our common freedom, fighting side by side with their Russian brothers in arms,” Putin said, using the acronym for the North’s official name.

North Korea has also supplied artillery ammunition to Russia since its invasion of Ukraine, AP reports. Meanwhile, Iran has supplied Russia with Shahed drones and China has sold Russia machinery and microelectronics for weapons.

10:54 AM EDT

Ukraine announces ‘good progress’ on mineral deal with US

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has announced that negotiations on a rare minerals deal with the U.S. had made “good progress.”

The deal is an important point of leverage for Ukraine, that relies on American military aid and support in the war and negotiations for peace.

Following his talks with U.S. Treasury Under Secretary Scott Bessent in Washington, Shmyhal said, “The main thing is that we clearly defined our red lines: The agreement must comply with Ukraine’s Constitution, legislation, and European commitments, and must be ratified by Parliament.”

Ukraine has said that recognition of Russian control over Crimea, after it illegally annexed the peninsula in 2014, violates its constitution.

10:47 AM EDT

Republican lawmaker dismisses Russian ceasefire as ‘nothing more than a holiday’

Rep. Ryan Zinke, a former Navy SEAL Commander, told CNN on Monday that he believes Moscow’s three-day temporary ceasefire proposal would be “nothing more than a holiday for Russia.”

“I’m always for a ceasefire but I don’t think it’s meaningful. I think it ‘s just a small holiday. It’s a start,” he said during an appearance on CNN.

10:31 AM EDT

Trump revealed what concessions Russia had made on war

Donald Trump has revealed what concessions Russia has made in the peace negotiations last far.

He was speaking after reports that a U.S. peace deal would see America recognize the Russian occupation of Crimea, something that would be a huge win for Vladimir Putin.

When asked by reporters in the White House last week about what concessions Russia made in exchange, he said, “Stopping the war, stopping taking the whole country. Pretty big concessions.”

10:15 AM EDT

‘Frustrated’ Trump wants Putin to go further

President Donald Trump waves outside the Oval Office as he arrives at the White House, Sunday, April 27, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
President Donald Trump waves outside the Oval Office as he arrives at the White House, Sunday, April 27, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP

President Donald Trump is “increasingly frustrated” by the leaders of Ukraine and Russia, and wants Russian President Vladimir Putin to go further than his declaration of a temporary ceasefire, the White House said.

Karoline Leavitt, White House press secretary, noted Putin’s statement on Monday morning to announce a forthcoming truce, after Trump had offered two rare direct criticisms of the Russian leader in recent days.

“The president has made it clear he wants to see a permanent ceasefire first, to stop the killings, stop the bloodshed,” Leavitt told a White House press briefing.

“And while he remains optimistic he can strike a deal, he’s also being realistic as well. Both leaders need to come to the table to negotiate their way out of this.”

The Kremlin declared a truce from midnight into May 8 until midnight on May 10 to coincide with Russia’s “Victory Day” celebrations marking 80 years since the end of World War II and the defeat of the Nazis. It urged Ukraine to follow suit.

Read in full from Shane Croucher on Newsweek.

10:07 AM EDT

Putin addresses his parliament after ceasefire announcement

Russian President Vladimir Putin has addressed members of his Federal Assembly after announcing a three-day ceasefire in Ukraine next month.

He thanked the politicians for making a “significant contribution to our victory” and said that many had “personally joined the ranks of volunteers and defenders of the Fatherland.”

“This is undoubtedly a powerful and courageous act that commands special and sincere respect,” he added.

09:50 AM EDT

Ukraine is calling for an immediate ceasefire after in response to Russia’s temporary pause

Ukraine is calling for an immediate ceasefire in response to Moscow’s announcement it plans for a three-day pause in fighting next month.

Andrii Sybiha, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, posted on X on Monday, “If Russia truly wants peace, it must cease fire immediately.

“Why wait until May 8th? If the fire can be ceased now and since any date for 30 days—so it is real, not just for a parade.

“Ukraine is ready to support a lasting, durable, and full ceasefire. And this is what we are constantly proposing, for at least 30 days.”

09:43 AM EDT

Russia launches massive Ukraine attacks after Trump tells Putin to stop

Russia has launched its largest wave of strikes on Ukraine since Thursday, when President Donald Trump urged his Russian counterpart to halt attacks on Moscow’s neighbor, according to an independent investigative Russian news outlet.

Trump is faltering in his efforts to broker peace talks to end the conflict. As Russia and Ukraine struggle to reach mutually acceptable terms, Trump has urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to stop his attacks on the war-torn country and has expressed his disappointment in the leader for continuing military actions.

Russia attacked Ukraine’s Zhytomyr, Dnipropetrovsk, Odesa, Donetsk, Sumy and Cherkasy regions with 149 drones on Sunday night. It marked the largest attack on the country since Trump urged Putin to stop military actions on Thursday, news site Agentstvo reported.

Of these drones, Ukraine’s air defenses shot down 57, while 67 didn’t reach their targets, the Ukrainian Air Force said.

Read in full from Isabel van Brugen on Newsweek.

09:29 AM EDT

Trump wants ‘permanent ceasefire’ not a temporary pause

The White House says that President Donald Trump, who has become increasingly frustrated with both Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky, wants a “permanent ceasefire,” not a temporary fix, CNN reports.

“He is increasingly frustrated with leaders of both countries,” Press Secretary Leavitt told reporters in the briefing room on Monday.

“He wants to see a permanent ceasefire. I understand Vladimir Putin this morning offered a temporary ceasefire. The President has made it clear he wants to see a permanent ceasefire first to stop the killing, stop the bloodshed,” she said, according to CNN.

09:22 AM EDT

WATCH: Putin declares temporary Ukraine ceasefire

09:14 AM EDT

Rubio says this week is ‘very critical’

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Sunday that this week would be “very critical” for the peace talks.

Rubio said that President Donald Trump would make a decision shortly about the U.S.’s ongoing involvement in brokering a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine.

The U.S. needs to “make a determination about whether this is an endeavor that we want to continue to be involved in,” he said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

America’s support and military aid for Ukraine has been crucial to the war effort.

Pulling American support could weaken Ukraine’s position at a crucial time in the peace talks.

09:06 AM EDT

Russia posts North Korean troops highlights reel after months of denials

Russian media shared video footage from the country’s defense ministry that showed North Korean troops in action, following the first official confirmation from Pyongyang and Moscow of their involvement in the Ukraine war.

Just months ago, Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov dismissed claims by Ukraine and South Korea, denying reports that North Korean troops were involved in the conflict. However, Moscow and Pyongyang have now issued statements confirming the deployment, as ties between the two nations continue to deepen amid the ongoing war.

Ukraine and South Korea said in December that Pyongyang had deployed an estimated 10,000 to 12,000 servicemen to southern Russia to fight Ukrainian forces.

Until Monday, neither Moscow nor Pyongyang had confirmed the deployment of troops from North Korea to fight Ukrainian forces.

Read in full from Shane Croucher and Isabel van Brugen on Newsweek.

08:57 AM EDT

Trump claims Zelensky ready to give up Crimea

President Donald Trump told reporters on Sunday said that he believes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is ready to give up Crimea.

“Oh, I think so,” he said, in response to a question on whether he thought Zelensky was ready to “give up” the territory.

Last week Zelensky staunchly rejected any peace plans that included U.S. recognition of Russia’s annexation of Crimea, calling the peninsula “an inseparable constituent part of Ukraine.”

“We will not legally recognize the occupation of Crimea. There’s nothing to talk about,” he told reporters

Trump has expressed frustration over Zelensky’s stance, posting on Truth Social, “Nobody is asking Zelensky to recognize Crimea as Russian Territory, “but, if he wants Crimea, why didn’t they fight for it eleven years ago when it was handed over to Russia without a shot being fired?”

Zelensky has not yet responded to Trump’s latest comments.

08:43 AM EDT

Russia suffering wave of car bomb attacks as electronic warfare chief fies

The head of a plant which developed Russian electronic warfare capabilities has been killed in a car bomb explosion, according to Ukrainian and Russian media in the latest reported death of a figure central to Moscow’s war machine.

Citing Ukrainian defense forces, RBC-Ukraine said Yevgeny Ritikov had been killed in a car explosion in the city of Bryansk, near the Ukraine border, where he headed an electromechanical plant.

The Russian Telegram channel Mash also reported that Ritikov had been killed by an IED (improvised explosive device), as did open source intelligence (OSINT) outlets although neither Russia nor Ukraine have made any official statements.

When contacted by Newsweek, the Ukrainian defense ministry said in a statement, “we do not comment on what is happening in Russia.”

08:36 AM EDT

Kremlin ready for Ukraine talks as Trump criticizes Putin again

The Kremlin emphasized its “readiness” for direct peace talks with Ukraine but said it is waiting for a signal from Kyiv.

President Donald Trump had urged his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to stop attacking Ukraine, adding that he was “very disappointed” by Russia’s actions.

Trump is attempting to close a peace deal he is brokering to end Russia’s war on Ukraine, but has threatened to walk away unless progress is made very soon.

Talks are ongoing between the U.S. and both sides of the conflict, and Trump has said a deal is close. But his rare criticisms of Putin show a growing frustration with the process.

Russia says Ukraine is blocking direct talks. But Ukraine has said it is willing to have them if Russia first agrees to a full ceasefire.

Read in full from Shane Croucher on Newsweek.