Zelenskyy: Ceasefire 'possible' the moment Russia agrees

Russia is maintaining its offensive in eastern Ukraine with intensity, Ukraine's General Staff said in a Facebook post.

Fighting has increased, notably around the strategic city of Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region, where Ukrainian forces said they had to fend off 70 attacks on Sunday, with 12 more clashes still ongoing.

Pokrovsk serves as a key transport hub and Moscow forces are reportedly edging closer.

The information could not be independently verified. 

Moscow's offensive comes despite ongoing diplomatic efforts by the US to arrange a ceasefire agreement between Russia and Ukraine.

Czech President Petr Pavel backed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's comments that called for increased pressure on Moscow to have it agree to an interim 30-day ceasefire.

"If someone has all the cards in their hand to end the war then it is President Putin, who can do it with a single decision," Pavel told reporters.

"But so far the will has not appeared."

The Czech government has been a firm backer of Kyiv's efforts to defend itself against Russian forces, and has led an initiative to supply Ukraine with large-calibre ammunition.

Zelenskyy, who is accompanied on the trip by first lady Olena Zelenska, will meet Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala on Monday, with the Czech ammunition drive among the topics on the agenda.

The Ukrainian leader said on X on Saturday he was preparing for upcoming foreign policy meetings with a focus on helping push Russia toward a ceasefire.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said at a joint news conference with Czech President Petr Pavel that a ceasefire with Moscow would be possible "at any moment."

"We believe that without increased pressure, Russia will not take real practical steps to end the war. Today marks the 54th day that Russia has ignored even the American proposal to completely cease fire," Zelenskyy told reporters.

"We believe that a ceasefire is possible at any moment, even starting today, and should last at least 30 days to give diplomacy a real chance."

Ukraine accepted a 30-day ceasefire proposed by the United States in March, following peace talks between US and Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia.

Russia has yet to accept the offer, and the country's leader, Vladimir Putin, declared a three-day ceasefire over May 8-10 to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Soviet Union and its allies over Nazi Germany in World War II.

Zelenskyy rejected the offer, denouncing it as a "theatrical show" since three days offered no time for talks to end the more than three-year-old war that began with Russia invading Ukraine in February 2022.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Prague on Sunday at the start of a two-day visit to the Czech Republic, a key Central European ally in Kyiv's battle against the ongoing Russian invasion.

Zelenskyy, accompanied by his wife, Olena, was met at the airport by Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky, who described him on social media as "the leader of the free world."

Zelenskyy, who was last received in Prague in 2023, is expected to meet with President Petr Pavel, a former NATO general, on Sunday before a meeting with Prime Minister Petr Fiala and other senior Czech politicians on Monday.

Likely to feature on the agenda is a Czech-led European initiative to jointly procure millions of artillery shells from stocks around the world and deliver them to Ukraine. According to Prague, 400,000 rounds were already provided in 2025.

The Czech Republic has also provided military support to Kyiv in the form of tanks, armored vehicles and helicopters, and welcomed more than half a million Ukrainian refugees.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday played down the prospect of deploying nuclear weapons in Ukraine and said he hoped the necessity would not arise.

"There has been no need to use those weapons," he said in fragmented comments broadcast as part of a preview of an interview on state television marking his 25 years in power. "And I hope they will not be required," he added.

Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Putin and his generals and staff have made occasional references to Russia's nuclear arsenal, often in response to increased Western aid to Ukraine, such as the provision of long-range missiles which Kyiv has used to strike targets deep within Russia itself.

Three years into Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin believes the brutal war will not damage relations with his neighbor, predicting reconciliation with Ukraine one day.

"It seems to me that this is inevitable despite the tragedy we are currently experiencing," he said in excerpts from an upcoming interview by Russian state television marking the 25th anniversary of his first presidency.

Putin was referring to the biggest European conflict since World War II, launched by Moscow as a "special military operation" in February 2022. "It's a matter of time," he added.

Putin said he believed Russia is still capable of attaining its war goals.

"We have enough strength and means to bring what was started in 2022 to a logical conclusion with the outcome Russia requires," he claimed.

Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit Russia from May 7-10 to attend the celebrations of the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany, the Kremlin said on Sunday.

Xi will discuss with Russian President Vladimir Putin the development of the two countries' strategic partnership, as well as signing a number of "bilateral documents," the Kremlin said In a statement on Telegram.

Ukraine said Russia had launched a drone attack on Kyiv overnight, causing damage to several buildings in the city.

Falling debris from destroyed drones sparked fires at residential buildings in Kyiv's Obolonskyi and Sviatoshynskyi districts, Timur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv's military administration, said on social media.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on the Telegram messaging app that medics were called in to provide assistance in the Sviatoshynskyi district, west of the city center.

The full scale of the damage from the attack was not immediately clear.

There was no immediate comment from Moscow about the attack.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his country cannot guarantee the safety of leaders and officials from other countries taking part in the World War II commemoration ceremony in Moscow on May 9.

Leaders of around 20 countries, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, have accepted invitations to join the May 9 celebration, according to the Kremlin.

"We cannot bear responsibility for what happens on the territory of the Russian Federation," Zelenskyy told the Interfax-Ukraine news agency.

"They are ensuring your safety," Zelenskyy said, adding that Russia "may take various steps on its part, such as arson, explosions, and so on and then blame us."

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, in a post on Telegram, slammed Zelenskyy's remarks.

"He is threatening the physical safety of veterans who will come to parades and celebrations on the holy day," she said, adding: "His statement... is, of course, a direct threat."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has dismissed a three-day truce declared by Russian leader Vladimir Putin as a "theatrical performance."

The ceasefire would be from May 8-10, to coincide with the annual Victory Parade on Moscow's Red Square to mark the end of World War II, which is celebrated in Russia on May 9.

"This is more of a theatrical performance on his part. Because in two or three days, it is impossible to develop a plan for the next steps to end the war," Zelenskyy said.

The Ukrainian leader said Kyiv, however, was ready for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire.

Zelenskyy added that Ukraine would not be "playing games to create a pleasant atmosphere to allow for Putin's exit from isolation on May 9."

Welcome to DW's coverage of developments from Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine on Sunday, May 4.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has dismissed a three-day truce ordered by Russian leader Vladimir Putin that would coincide with Moscow's World War II commemorations, but said Kyiv is ready for a full ceasefire.