“Why shoul we wait until May 8?”: the Ukrainian MFA reacted to Putinʼs proposal for a truce on the Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation

Ukrainian Foreign Minister (MFA) Andriy Sybiha responded to Putinʼs proposal for a ceasefire on the Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation. He stressed that if Russia truly wants peace, it must immediately cease fire.

"Why should we wait until May 8? If the fire can be stopped now and from any date within 30 days, then it is real, and not just for the sake of a parade," said the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.

According to him, Ukraine is ready to support a long, strong and complete ceasefire. And this is what we constantly propose, at least for 30 days.

Before that, Putin said that he had allegedly ordered his military to cease all hostilities from 00:00 on May 8 to midnight on May 11. At the same time, Russia stated that if Ukraine violates the "ceasefire", the Russian occupiers will respond.

Putin had previously declared an “Easter ceasefire” on the front until Easter. The Ukrainian president reported that as of 00:00 after Easter, the total number of violations by the Russian army of its own promise of silence over the 24-hour period, April 20, had reached 2 935. However, Zelensky stressed that the number of airstrikes in Ukraine had indeed decreased over Easter.

Against the backdrop of the proposal for an Easter ceasefire, Volodymyr Zelensky said that if the Kremlin is now ready to join the format of complete and unconditional silence, Kyiv will act in a mirror image — as it will be on the Russian side.

Volodymyr Zelensky also proposed to refrain from any strikes with long-range drones and missiles on civilian infrastructure for at least 30 days with the possibility of extending this period. Putin responded by saying that Russia would analyze Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyʼs proposal not to strike at civilian infrastructure and then give a response.

• Kyiv has already agreed to halt hostilities in the Black Sea and not to attack Russian energy facilities during a 30-day ceasefire. Moscow, in return, has only promised not to attack energy facilities and said it will implement agreements on the Black Sea only after Western sanctions are lifted.

For more news and in-depth stories from Ukraine please follow us on X.