Russia-Ukraine War: Putin's three-day ceasefire announcement, there will be no war in Russia-Ukraine on the 80th anniversary of WWII victory

Moscow/Kiev: Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced a three-day ceasefire from May 8 to 10 in the ongoing war with Ukraine. The ceasefire is to mark 'Victory Day' (May 9) to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Soviet Union and allies over Nazi Germany in World War II. The Kremlin described it as a decision taken on "humanitarian grounds", but Ukraine expressed doubts over the announcement, as Russia was accused of more than 3,000 violations of the recently announced Easter ceasefire. Let's look at the reasons for this decision and the diplomacy behind it.

Putin's ceasefire announcement

According to the Kremlin, the ceasefire will be in effect starting from midnight on May 8 (May 7, 2100 GMT) until midnight on May 10 (May 11, 2100 GMT). Putin ordered Russia's Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov to "cease all military activity" and said Ukraine should follow suit. The Kremlin warned that any violations from Ukraine would be met with an "adequate and effective response."

The announcement comes amid pressure from US President Donald Trump's administration, which is trying to speed up peace talks to end the war. "Putin must stop missile attacks on civilian areas. Too many people are dying," Trump recently wrote on Twitter.

Reasons behind the ceasefire

Symbolic significance of Victory Day: 'Victory Day' is celebrated with great pomp in Russia on May 9, which marks the Soviet victory in WWII. Putin is using the occasion to strengthen his domestic image and present himself as a peacemaker on the global stage.

• US pressure: The Trump administration had warned that if there was no progress in the peace talks, it could withdraw from Ukraine peace efforts. Putin's announcement could be a strategy to maintain ties with Trump and keep the talks alive.
• Criticism of Easter ceasefire: Russia was accused of more than 2,000 violations of the 30-hour Easter ceasefire announced in April, which Ukraine dubbed as a "PR stunt". This time Putin is trying to gain credibility with a longer-term announcement.
• Russia's progress in the war: Russia recently retook 99.5% of the Kursk region, where Ukraine launched a surprise attack last year. This ceasefire could give Russia time to strengthen its position.

Ukraine's stance

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed doubts over the announcement. He wrote on X, “Russia carried out 59 artillery attacks and 5 strikes during the Easter ceasefire. This shows that Moscow only wants favourable publicity.” Zelensky said that if Russia is indeed ready for a complete and unconditional ceasefire, Ukraine will abide by it, but will continue to respond to Russian attacks.

“Putin’s words cannot be trusted. We accepted the 30-day ceasefire unconditionally in March, but Russia rejected it,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiha said on X.

The Easter ceasefire experience

On April 19, Putin announced a 30-hour Easter ceasefire, which ended on April 20. Ukraine claimed that Russia carried out 901 attacks during this period, including 448 with heavy weapons and more than 400 drone attacks. Russia responded by accusing Ukraine of 444 shellings and 900 drone attacks. Both sides accused each other of violations, raising questions about the credibility of this new ceasefire.

Global reaction

1. US: Trump called it a “positive step” but said, “In two weeks we will know whether Putin can be trusted or not.”
2. Europe: Germany and France reiterated support for Ukraine, but welcomed the ceasefire extension.
3. UAE: The United Arab Emirates mediated the swap of 246 Russian and 277 Ukrainian prisoners of war between the two sides.

Challenges and future

Putin’s conditions, such as Ukraine not joining NATO and Russia’s claim to four regions including Crimea, complicate peace talks. Experts believe the ceasefire could give Russia a chance to reorganise its forces. Ukraine made it clear it would maintain its positions in Kursk.