Vladimir Putin has declared a ceasefire for the War in Ukraine between May 8 and 10, as Europe marks the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.
The announcement may be viewed with scepticism by Ukraine, after an Easter ceasefire earlier this month was reportedly broken thousands of times.
According to the Kremlin, the truce will begin at midnight local time on May 8 – 9pm on May 7 in UK time – and last until May 10.
President Putin ordered the full cessation of hostilities on ‘humanitarian grounds’, the Russian government said.
UK Defence Secretary John Healey told MPs last week the Russian leader’s promise of a 30-hour pause in fighting was broken.
He said Defence Intelligence had found ‘no indication that a ceasefire on the frontline was observed over the Easter period’.
In Russia, May 9 is named Victory Day and is typically celebrated with grand shows of military might.
It marks the end of what Russians call the Great Patriotic War, and centres on the significant role played by the Soviet Union in securing the downfall of the Nazi regime.
Large-scale commemorations will also take place across Europe, including the UK, 80 years after the end of the war in Europe.
In his speech to the House of Commons, Healey accused Putin of trying to ‘play for time in negotiations’.
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He said: ‘I can confirm Russian military progress is slowing.
‘Putin gained less territory in March then he did in February and less territory in February than he did in January.
‘Ukrainian towns which Russia have been targeting since before Christmas have still not been captured.’
US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held impromptu talks in St Peter’s Basilica on Saturday ahead of the funeral of Pope Francis.
Zelensky described the meeting as ‘productive’, and Trump said soon afterwards he was starting to think Putin ‘doesn’t want to stop the war’.
However, Trump also suggested on Sunday he thinks Zelensky may be willing to cede control of Crimea in the south of Ukraine.
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