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By Shane Croucher
Senior Editor
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Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine to time with its "Victory Day" commemorations marking 80 years since the defeat of the Nazis and the end of World War II.
The Kremlin said the truce is "based on humanitarian considerations" and will last from the passing of midnight on May 7 into May 8, until the passing of midnight on May 10 into May 11.
"For this period, all hostilities are stopped," said the statement. "Russia believes that the Ukrainian side should follow suit. In the event of violations of the ceasefire by the Ukrainian side, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation will give an adequate and effective response."
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Newsweek reached out to the State Department and Ukraine's presidential office for comment.
Why It Matters
The declaration of a truce comes as U.S. President Donald Trump criticizes Russia and Putin directly—a rare rebuke—for the ongoing strikes in Ukraine. He urged Putin to "STOP" on Truth Social and said he found Russian actions "very disappointing."
His tone on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also warmed following their face-to-face meeting at the Vatican during Pope Francis's funeral.
Trump has threatened to walk away from the peace process unless good progress is made quickly. He believes the sides are close to a deal and should hold high-level direct talks to get an agreement over the line.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Sunday that this week would be "very critical." The U.S. needs to "make a determination about whether this is an endeavor that we want to continue to be involved in," he said on NBC's Meet the Press.
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What To Know
The Kremlin added in its statement on a truce that it "once again declares its readiness for peace talks without preconditions, aimed at eliminating the root causes of the Ukrainian crisis, constructive interaction with international partners."
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's mobilization effort.
Just before the ceasefire announcement, Ukraine and Russia targeted each other with long-range strikes.
The Russian Defense Ministry said its forces downed 119 Ukrainian drones overnight, most of them over Russia's Bryansk border region.
In Ukraine, air raid sirens sounded across the country on Monday morning. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.
Putin had previously declared a unilateral 30-hour Easter truce, a move the Ukrainians said shows peace is in Russia's hands. Both sides accused each other of firing during Putin's Easter truce.
Zelensky has said previously that Ukraine wants "an immediate, full, and unconditional ceasefire."
"This is absolutely possible–but only if Russia agrees and stops the killing," Zelensky wrote in an April 23 post on X, formerly Twitter. He added: "Ukraine has repeatedly said that it does not rule out any format that can lead to a ceasefire and, ultimately, real peace."
What People Are Saying
Ukrainian President Zelensky posted on X after his Vatican meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump: "Good meeting. We discussed a lot one on one. Hoping for results on everything we covered. Protecting lives of our people. Full and unconditional ceasefire. Reliable and lasting peace that will prevent another war from breaking out. Very symbolic meeting that has potential to become historic, if we achieve joint results. Thank you @POTUS."
What Happens Next
Ukraine has not said if it would also adhere to Putin's latest declaration of a truce. However, Ukraine's foreign minister Andrii Sybiha questioned why a ceasefire could not be immediate. He said Ukraine would agree to an immediate truce for 30 days.
This article includes reporting by The Associated Press.
Update 4/28/25, 9:35 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
Update 4/28/25, 9:53 a.m. ET: This article was updated with remarks by Andrii Sybiha.
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