Putin announces new ceasefire but Kremlin hardens stance on annexed Ukrainian regions – POLITICO

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a three-day ceasefire in Ukraine to mark the 80^th anniversary of the Soviet Union's triumph over Nazi Germany in World War II.

The proposed truce — which Kyiv's Western allies will meet with skepticism — will run from May 8 to May 11, coinciding with Russia's Victory Day celebrations, the Kremlin said in a statement on Telegram. While Ukraine has yet to respond, Russia threatened "an adequate and effective response" if Kyiv violates the proposed ceasefire.

"Russia has consistently rejected everything and continues to manipulate the world, trying to deceive the United States," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday evening in a post on X. "Now, yet again, another attempt at manipulation: for some reason everyone is supposed to wait until May 8 before ceasing fire — just to provide Putin with silence for his parade."