Ukraine updates: Putin announces 3-day ceasefire in May

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his video address on Monday that the economic partnership between the United States and Ukraine has become stronger after recent negotiations. 

"Today, our government officials  Ukraine's representatives in the negotiations with the United States on the economic partnership agreement... delivered their reports. The document has become significantly stronger, equitable and can be beneficial for both of our nations, Ukraine and America," he said. 

Zelenskyy also warned in his address that a three-day ceasefire announced by the Russian President Vladimir Putin is an "attempt at manipulation."

"Now, yet again, another attempt at manipulation. For some reason, everyone is supposed to wait until May 8... to provide Putin with silence for his parade," he added. 

Putin ordered a ceasefire on Monday for May 8-10, which coincides with Moscow's World War II commemorations. 

Zelenskyy said he wanted an immediate truce with Russia for "at least 30 days."

"The ceasefire should not be just for a few days... It must be immediate, full, and unconditional — for at least 30 days to ensure it is secure and guaranteed. 

Ukraine's Western allies are to "increase pressure on Russia" over the next 10 days," French President Emmanuel Macron said in an interview. 

Macron also said he had told the US to "adopt a firmer line" against Putin.

"I told (Trump): We need to be much tougher with the Russians," Macron told French outlet Paris Match.

According to Macron, Ukraine's allies would like to "establish the conditions for a ceasefire" and "preserve it on the Ukrainian side."
 

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke to his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov about the peace talks with Ukraine and the "need to end the war now."

According to Rubio, the US is "serious about facilitating an end to this senseless war."

In an interview with US outlet NBC, Rubio said Sunday that there were reasons for both optimism and realism, and that the country could decide to focus on other priorities.

This comes after Russia's announcement of a three-day ceasefire to mark the victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two.
 

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha responded to Russia's proposed three-day cessation of hostilities between the two sides to commemorate the end of World War Two by saying a ceasefire should happen right away.

"If Russia truly wants peace, it must cease fire immediately," Sybiha posted on his X account.

"Ukraine is ready to support a lasting, durable, and full" stop in hostilities between both sides, the Ukrainian official said, adding any ceasefire should be "real, not just for a parade."

The Kremlin's proposed 72-hour ceasefire would run between May 8 and 10, with Moscow hosting several international leaders to celebrate victory over Nazi Germany on May 9. 
 

Ukraine wants a minerals deal with the United States to be finalized as quickly as possible, the Ukrainian foreign ministry has said.

Ministry spokesman Heorhii Tykhyi said during a livestream on X that both sides were working daily and that talks were advancing. 

He added that Kyiv wanted "a mutually beneficial deal."

Ukraine’s Energy Minister, German Galuschenko, said his country was on hand to help restore power if needed following the major power outage impacting Spain and Portugal.

"We are ready to share the knowledge and experience, including those gained during the systematic Russian attacks on the energy infrastructure," Galuschenko said in a post on X.

Ukraine’s critical infrastructure has repeatedly been targeted by attacks during Russia’s continued invasion.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered a three-day ceasefire in his war against Ukraine, coinciding with Moscow's World War II Victory Day commemorations, the Kremlin has announced.

The ceasefire, "based on humanitarian considerations," will begin at midnight on May 8 and end at midnight on May 11, the Kremlin said.

"Russia believes that the Ukrainian side should follow this example. In the event of violations of the truce by the Ukrainian side, the Russian armed forces will give an adequate and effective response," the Kremlin added.

The announcement came after US President Donald Trump urged Putin to "stop shooting" and "sign a deal" to end the three-year war.

The reaction of the Ukrainian side to the surprise announcement is not yet known.

The Kremlin announced a similar 30-hour ceasefire over Easter, but while both sides reported a drop in fighting, they accused each other of hundreds of violations.

Ukraine and Russia have been targeting each other with long-range strikes, officials said.

The Russian Defense Ministry said its forces shot down 119 Ukrainian drones overnight. Most were shot down over the Russian border region of Bryansk.

The ministry also said Russian troops had taken control of the settlement of Kamianka in Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region.

Meanwhile, air raid sirens sounded across Ukraine on Monday morning. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.

The Kremlin said it was ready to begin peace talks with Ukraine without preconditions, state media reported.

"The Russian side has repeatedly confirmed its readiness, as confirmed by the president, to start negotiations with Ukraine without any preconditions," spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said, adding that the signal should come "from Kyiv."

Separately, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Russia is still open to talks on Ukraine, but "the ball is not in our court."

"We are open to negotiations. But the ball is not in our court. So far, Kyiv has not demonstrated its ability to negotiate," Lavrov said in an interview with Brazilian newspaper O Globo, cited by Russian Foreign Ministry.

Lavrov said that Ukraine hadn't respected the energy infrastructure ceasefire and the Easter truce.

He also reiterated previous Russian demands for Ukraine's neutral status and non-accession to NATO, and called international recognition of the annexed Ukrainian regions as part of Russia "imperative."

Earlier, US President Donald Trump questioned Russian leader Vladimir Putin's willingness to halt the three-year offensive.

Ukraine should not agree to all the territorial concessions to Russia reportedly included in the deal proposed by US President Donald Trump, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said.

"Ukraine has, of course, known for some time that a sustainable, credible ceasefire or peace agreement may involve territorial concessions," he told German broadcaster ARD on Sunday night.

"But these will certainly not go... as far as they do in the latest proposal from the US president," Pistorius said.

According to media reports, a US proposal for a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine goes a long way toward meeting Moscow's demands, including the demand that Kyiv should recognize Russia's 2014 annexation of the Crimean peninsula.

Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his personal gratitude to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for the role of North Korean troops in driving Ukrainian forces out of Russia's Kursk region, the Kremlin said in a statement.

"Our Korean friends acted based on a sense of solidarity, justice and genuine comradeship," the Kremlin quoted Putin as saying.

"We highly appreciate this and are sincerely grateful personally to the Chairman of State Affairs Comrade Kim Jong Un, the entire leadership and people of the DPRK," the statement said, referring to North Korea by the initials of its formal name — the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Pyongyang confirmed for the first time on Monday that it had sent troops to fight for Russia in the war in Ukraine and that it had helped regain control of Russian territory occupied by Ukraine.

Over the weekend, Moscow claimed the "liberation" of the Kursk region, where Ukraine launched a cross-border offensive in August 2024.

But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday that the Ukrainian army still maintains its presence on Russian territory.

Ukraine has agreed with the US that the past American aid provided to Kyiv will not be part of a minerals deal that both sides aim to sign, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on social media.

"Agreements have been reached that the document does not count assistance provided before its signing," Shmyhal said.

He also said there was "good progress" on the agreement after his meeting with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and that legal teams were working on the document.

"Most important — we have clearly defined our red lines, the agreement must comply with European obligations and not contradict the Constitution and legislation of Ukraine," Shmyhal added.

Ukraine and the US signed a memorandum on April 18 as a first step toward an agreement on the development of Ukraine's natural resources, a deal promoted by US President Donald Trump.

Though the two were ready to sign an agreement in February, it was delayed after an angry Oval Office meeting between Trump and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Global military spending reached a new peak in 2024, according to the latest report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

The increase in spending was considerable in Europe, a direct result of the war in Ukraine.

Read DW's full coverage of the new report here.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that his troops are still fighting in the Russian region of Kursk, despite Moscow claiming the "liberation" of its western region.

"Our military continues to perform tasks in the Kursk and Belgorod regions — we are maintaining our presence on Russian territory," he said in his evening address Sunday.

In a statement earlier Sunday, he conceded that the situation remained difficult in many areas, including Kursk.

Russia said on Saturday it had captured Gornal, the last settlement under Ukrainian control in its border Kursk region.

But hours later, Ukraine's army dismissed Russia's claim as "propaganda tricks."

Will Russia one day be brought to justice for its crimes in Ukraine? Plans for a special tribunal are in place, but nothing has yet been decided at a political level.

Details of the tribunal, to be held under the auspices of the Council of Europe, are still secret.

DW takes a closer look at some of the political and legal obstacles to bringing Russia's leadership to account.