{"id":57933,"date":"2025-04-28T16:46:14","date_gmt":"2025-04-28T16:46:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/57933\/"},"modified":"2025-04-28T16:46:14","modified_gmt":"2025-04-28T16:46:14","slug":"russia-declares-a-72-hour-ceasefire-in-ukraine-for-next-week-to-mark-victory-day-in-world-war-ii","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/57933\/","title":{"rendered":"Russia declares a 72-hour ceasefire in Ukraine for next week to mark Victory Day in World War II"},"content":{"rendered":"

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) \u2014 Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday declared a unilateral 72-hour ceasefire next week in Ukraine to mark Victory Day in World War II as the U.S. presses for a deal to end the 3-year-old war<\/a>. Kyiv insisted on a longer and immediate truce.<\/p>\n

The Kremlin said the truce, ordered on \u201chumanitarian grounds,\u201d will run from the start of May 8 and last through the end of May 10 to mark Moscow\u2019s defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945 \u2014 Russia\u2019s biggest secular holiday<\/a>. That timing translates to start at 2100 GMT, or 5 p.m. EDT, on May 7, lasting until 2100 GMT, or 5 p.m. EDT on May 10.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Honour<\/p>\n

Honour guard soldiers pack caps after a rehearsal for the Victory Day military parade, which will take place at Dvortsovaya (Palace) Square on May 9 to celebrate 80 years after the victory in World War II, in St. Petersburg, Russia, Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo\/Dmitri Lovetsky)<\/p>\n

Honour guard soldiers pack caps after a rehearsal for the Victory Day military parade, which will take place at Dvortsovaya (Palace) Square on May 9 to celebrate 80 years after the victory in World War II, in St. Petersburg, Russia, Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo\/Dmitri Lovetsky)<\/p>\n

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Ukraine, which has previously agreed to U.S. President Donald Trump\u2019s<\/a> proposal of a full 30-day ceasefire, dismissed Putin\u2019s move as window dressing.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf Russia truly wants peace, it must cease fire immediately,\u201d Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said, according to the ministry. He emphasized that Kyiv is ready for a \u201clasting, reliable, and complete ceasefire\u201d for at least 30 full days.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy wait for May 8? If we can cease fire now from any date and for 30 days \u2014 so that it is real, and not just for a parade,\u201d he said without specifying whether Ukraine would be ready to accept the Moscow-proposed truce.<\/p>\n

The Kremlin had urged Ukraine to follow suit.<\/p>\n

\u201cRussia believes that the Ukrainian side should follow this example,\u201d it said, warning that \u201cin case of violations of the ceasefire by the Ukrainian side, the Russian armed forces will give an adequate and efficient response.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Russian<\/p>\n

\n Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with Russian State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin in St. Petersburg, Monday, April 28, 2025. (Mikhail Metzel, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)\n <\/p>\n

Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with Russian State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin in St. Petersburg, Monday, April 28, 2025. (Mikhail Metzel, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)<\/p>\n

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\"President<\/p>\n

\n President Volodymyr Zelenskyy answers journalists’ questions near a house destroyed by Thursday’s Russian strike on a residential neighborhood in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Friday, April 25, 2025. (AP Photo\/Evgeniy Maloletka)\n <\/p>\n

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy answers journalists’ questions near a house destroyed by Thursday’s Russian strike on a residential neighborhood in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Friday, April 25, 2025. (AP Photo\/Evgeniy Maloletka)<\/p>\n

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Putin previously announced a unilateral 30-hour Easter ceasefire and Ukraine voiced readiness to reciprocate any genuine truce at the time, but it said Russian attacks continued. Moscow, in turn, accused Ukraine of failing to halt its attacks.<\/p>\n

Russia and Ukraine had also earlier pledged to observe a 30-day halt on strikes on energy infrastructure that was brokered by the Trump administration, but they repeatedly accused each other of massive violations until the measure expired.<\/p>\n

The truce attempts underlined the massive challenges for monitoring any possible halt to hostilities along the more than 1,000-kilometer (over 600-mile) line of contact.<\/p>\n

Up until now, Putin had refused to accept a complete unconditional ceasefire, linking it to a halt in Western arms supplies to Ukraine and Ukraine\u2019s mobilization effort. <\/p>\n

The Kremlin reaffirmed that \u201cthe Russian side again declares its readiness for peace talks without preconditions aimed at removing the root causes of the Ukrainian crisis and constructive cooperation with international partners.\u201d<\/p>\n

Just before the ceasefire announcement, Ukraine and Russia targeted each other with long-range strikes. <\/p>\n

Russia\u2019s drone attack early Monday damaged an infrastructure facility in Cherkasy, central Ukraine, disrupting gas supplies to households in the city, Mayor Anatolii Bondarenko said.<\/p>\n

The Russian Defense Ministry said its forces downed 119 Ukrainian drones overnight, most of them over Russia\u2019s Bryansk border region. In Ukraine, air raid sirens rang out across the country Monday morning. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"In<\/p>\n

In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, a car burns against the background of a damaged private house following Russia\u2019s air raid in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, Monday, April 28, 2025. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)<\/p>\n

In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, a car burns against the background of a damaged private house following Russia\u2019s air raid in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, Monday, April 28, 2025. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)<\/p>\n

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Rubio says this week is \u2018very critical\u2019<\/p>\n

The outcome of a push by Trump\u2019s administration to swiftly end the fighting, which has cost tens of thousands of lives, remains unclear, clouded by conflicting claims and doubts about how far each side might be willing to compromise amid deep hostility and mistrust.<\/p>\n

The clock is ticking on Washington\u2019s engagement in efforts to resolve Europe\u2019s biggest conflict since World War II.<\/p>\n

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Sunday that this week would be \u201cvery critical.\u201d The U.S. needs to \u201cmake a determination about whether this is an endeavor that we want to continue to be involved in,\u201d he said on NBC\u2019s \u201cMeet the Press.\u201d<\/p>\n

American military aid has been crucial for Ukraine\u2019s war effort, and further help could be at risk if the Trump administration walks away from attempts to end the war.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"People<\/p>\n

People cross the street past \u2018Moscow\u2019s Triumphal Gate\u2019 decorated with a large-scale composition depicting a replica of the \u2018Motherland Calls\u2019 monument ahead of celebrations of the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union\u2019s victory over Nazi Germany during World War II in St. Petersburg, Russia, Monday, April 28, 2025. (AP Photo\/Dmitri Lovetsky)<\/p>\n

People cross the street past \u2018Moscow\u2019s Triumphal Gate\u2019 decorated with a large-scale composition depicting a replica of the \u2018Motherland Calls\u2019 monument ahead of celebrations of the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union\u2019s victory over Nazi Germany during World War II in St. Petersburg, Russia, Monday, April 28, 2025. (AP Photo\/Dmitri Lovetsky)<\/p>\n

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Trump\u2019s doubts about Putin\u2019s intentions<\/p>\n

Trump said over the weekend he harbors doubts about Putin\u2019s sincerity<\/a> in pursuing a deal, as Russian forces have continued to strike civilian areas of Ukraine<\/a> with cruise and ballistic missiles while the talks have proceeded.<\/p>\n

But on Friday, Trump described a brokered settlement on the war as \u201cclose.\u201d<\/p>\n

Western European officials have accused the Kremlin of dragging its feet on peace talks so that Russia\u2019s larger forces, which have battlefield momentum, can seize more Ukrainian land.<\/p>\n

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov discussed the war in a phone call Sunday with Rubio, the Russian Foreign Ministry said. They focused on \u201cconsolidating the emerging prerequisites for starting negotiations,\u201d the statement said, without elaborating.<\/p>\n

Russia has effectively rejected a U.S. proposal for an immediate and full 30-day halt in the fighting by imposing far-reaching conditions. Ukraine has accepted it, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says.<\/p>\n

A French diplomatic official said over the weekend that Trump, Zelenskyy and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed \u201cto pursue in the coming days the work of convergence\u201d to obtain \u201ca solid ceasefire.\u201d <\/p>\n

The diplomat said a truce is a \u201cprior condition for a peace negotiation that respects the interest of Ukraine and the Europeans.\u201d<\/p>\n

The official was not authorized to be publicly identified in accordance with French presidential policy.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Ukrainian<\/p>\n

Ukrainian search personnel clear the rubble after a Russian ballistic missile attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, early Thursday, April 24, 2025. (AP Photo\/Efrem Lukatsky)<\/p>\n

Ukrainian search personnel clear the rubble after a Russian ballistic missile attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, early Thursday, April 24, 2025. (AP Photo\/Efrem Lukatsky)<\/p>\n

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Ukraine unwilling to give up land <\/p>\n

Ukraine, meanwhile, has balked at surrendering land to Russia<\/a> in return for peace, which Washington has indicated could be necessary.<\/p>\n

A key point of leverage for Ukraine could be a deal with Washington that grants access to Ukraine\u2019s critical mineral wealth<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Ukraine and the U.S. have made progress on a mineral agreement, with both sides agreeing that American aid provided so far to Kyiv will not be taken into account under the terms of the deal, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said Sunday.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have good progress,\u201d he said after talks with U.S. Treasury Under Secretary Scott Bessent in Washington.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe main thing is that we clearly defined our red lines: The agreement must comply with Ukraine\u2019s Constitution, legislation, and European commitments, and must be ratified by Parliament,\u201d Shmyhal said.<\/p>\n

Russia\u2019s full-scale invasion of its neighbor in February 2022 has developed a significant international dimension, further complicating negotiations.<\/p>\n

Putin on Monday thanked North Korea<\/a> for sending what the U.S. estimates are thousands of troops to help defeat Ukraine, as well as allegedly supplying artillery ammunition. <\/p>\n

Iran has also helped Russia in the war, with Shahed drones, and China has sold Russia machinery and microelectronics that Moscow can use to make weapons, Western officials say.<\/p>\n

The U.S. and Europe have been Kyiv\u2019s biggest backers.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Friends<\/p>\n

Friends of Danylo Hudya, 17, who was killed in a Thursday Russian strike, stand together in the remains of a house in a residential neighborhood in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Friday, April 25, 2025. (AP Photo\/Evgeniy Maloletka)<\/p>\n

Friends of Danylo Hudya, 17, who was killed in a Thursday Russian strike, stand together in the remains of a house in a residential neighborhood in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Friday, April 25, 2025. (AP Photo\/Evgeniy Maloletka)<\/p>\n

Read More<\/p>\n

___<\/p>\n

Follow AP\u2019s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/russia-ukraine<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"KYIV, Ukraine (AP) \u2014 Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday declared a unilateral 72-hour ceasefire next week in…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":57934,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7654],"tags":[12019,32,34,2000,299,4179,8614,2820,285,332,7659,7661,7686,10243,657,7662,5213,333,2601,7660,263],"class_list":{"0":"post-57933","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-ukraine","8":"tag-ap-top-news","9":"tag-donald-trump","10":"tag-emmanuel-macron","11":"tag-eu","12":"tag-europe","13":"tag-general-news","14":"tag-international-agreements","15":"tag-marco-rubio","16":"tag-politics","17":"tag-russia","18":"tag-russia-government","19":"tag-russia-ukraine-war","20":"tag-scott-bessent","21":"tag-sergey-lavrov","22":"tag-ukraine","23":"tag-ukraine-government","24":"tag-united-states-government","25":"tag-vladimir-putin","26":"tag-volodymyr-zelenskyy","27":"tag-war-and-unrest","28":"tag-world-news"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114416607936125417","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57933","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=57933"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57933\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/57934"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=57933"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=57933"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=57933"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}