Ukraine rejects Russia's 'Victory Day' truce after Moscow violates Kyiv's ceasefire

(Updated:  May 6, 2026 10:03 pm) • 5 min read Prefer on Google by Tim Zadorozhnyy, Asami Terajima, Martin Fornusek Ukrainian rescuers work at the site following a Russian air attack in Zaporizhzhia on May 5, 2026. (Darya Nazarova/ AFP via Getty Images) Ukraine sees no reason to observe a ceasefire proposed by Russia for its Victory Day celebrations, a senior Ukrainian official told the Kyiv Independent on May 6. "We just don't see the point (to follow it) for the parade," the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to comment publicly, said. The comment came after President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia had violated a Ukrainian-proposed ceasefire 1,820 times by 10 a.m. local time, hours after it took effect. Zelensky said on May 4 that Ukraine would implement a ceasefire starting May 6, after Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed a separate "Victory Day ceasefire" on May 8–9. Moscow earlier scaled back its planned Victory Day parade, an annual showcase of its projected military strength, amid fears of potential Ukrainian attacks. Ceasefires throughout the war, often proposed by Moscow during religious holidays, have never held. Russia violated the previous truce during Orthodox Easter 10,721 times over a 32-hour period in April, Ukraine's General Staff said . It is understandable why Kyiv would not accept Moscow's ceasefire proposal, given Russia's recent attacks on civilians across Ukraine and its track record of violating the truce, Jenny Mathers, a senior lecturer in international politics at the U.K.'s Aberystwyth University, said. "Kyiv's refusal to comply with Russia's request indicates that Kyiv is not fooled by yet another claim of Russian restraint," Mathers told the Kyiv Independent. "It is also likely to be interpreted by Moscow as a power move by the Ukrainians, which may provoke some respect from the Russians." Oleksandr Merezhko, head of the Ukrainian parliament's foreign affairs committee, stressed that Kyiv is "genuinely interested" in an unconditional ceasefire, not "a temporary one whose sole goal is to guarantee for Putin holding military parade," after which Russia would continue launching indiscriminate attacks on civilians. Merezhko suggested that Putin's only goal in proposing the May 8-9 ceasefire is to avoid "humiliating disruption" of the May 9 military parade in Moscow. "Such an offer is a sign of weakness and panic on the part of Putin," Merezhko told the Kyiv Independent. "Putin's nightmare is to have the military parade disrupted or spoiled, which will send to the Russian population a signal that Putin is weak, he is losing the war, and is unable to guarantee safety for Russians." Political analyst Volodymyr Fesenko argued that, whether Kyiv upholds the Moscow-proposed ceasefire or not over May 8-9, Russia won't enforce the truce, and Ukraine would mirror its actions. But he cast strong doubt on Ukraine's potential strikes on Moscow during the celebrations, explaining that it could provoke Moscow to launch an attack on Kyiv and that "it's a choice between showiness and efficiency," especially since there are targets elsewhere in Russia. Fesenko stressed that proposing "ceasefires" is a long-time Russian propagandistic tactic, in which Putin appears to be trying to show people in Russia that he is "supposedly a humane peacemaker." The tactic is also likely aimed at gesturing to U.S. President Donald Trump that he supposedly wants peace, according to the expert. "This is an imitation of a ceasefire, and for Trump, that is enough," Fesenko told the Kyiv Independent, adding that Putin's short-term ceasefire proposals are not an actual truce. Putin declared readiness for a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine for the May 9 Victory Day celebrations to Trump during a phone call, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said on April 29 "I suggested a little bit of a ceasefire , and I think he might do that. He might announce something having to do with that," Trump said during a live-streamed media address from the White House on April 29. "I asked him about (a truce), even if it's a little ceasefire, there's so many people being killed. It's so ridiculous." Upon announcing a May 6 ceasefire earlier, Zelensky said on May 4 that Ukraine had still not received an official appeal from Moscow outlining the terms of the ceasefire that Russian officials have publicly discussed. Zelensky argued that the Kyiv-proposed ceasefire from May 6, to which Moscow has not agreed, would be enough to test whether a genuine pause in fighting could take hold. "We believe that human life is far more valuable than any anniversary' celebration,'" Zelensky wrote on May 4, referring to Russia's upcoming Victory Day commemorations. Moscow has also accused Kyiv of breaching its own ceasefire. Russian Foreign Ministry's Ambassador-at-Large Rodion Miroshnik said Ukraine had launched attacks on Russian-occupied Crimea and Russia's Bryansk Oblast . Kyiv has not reacted to Moscow's accusation at the time of publication. Volodymyr Ariev, a Ukrainian lawmaker from the opposition European Solidarity party, argued there is no point in either accepting or proposing a short-term ceasefire, which Moscow regularly violates. "What's the point of even talking about short-term ceasefires that no one is adhering to?" Ariev told the Kyiv Independent. Ariev stressed the importance of "doing everything possible" so that Russian troops are forced into conditions where they have no other option but to adhere to a long-term ceasefire. Aligning with Zelensky's call for a ceasefire, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry condemned Moscow for violating it. "Moscow once again ignored a realistic and fair call to end hostilities, supported by other states and international organizations," Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said . "This shows that Russia rejects peace and its fake calls for a ceasefire on May 9th have nothing to do with diplomacy," he added. "Putin only cares about military parades, not human lives." Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsakhna said his country and other EU allies support Zelensky's proposed May 6 ceasefire and expect Russia to reciprocate it. "Until now, it is Russia who has consistently acted in bad faith, not respecting even its own unilaterally declared ceasefires," Tsakhna told the Kyiv Independent. "A genuine ceasefire could provide space for meaningful negotiations toward ending Russia’s war of aggression and achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting peace."