Putin’s Ukraine Ceasefire Begins Amid Doubt and Skepticism

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s unilateral three-day ceasefire with Ukraine began on Thursday, intended to coincide with Moscow’s Victory Day celebrations and to, according to the Kremlin, gauge Kyiv’s willingness for peace.

However, Ukraine swiftly dismissed the move as a farce, casting doubt on its sincerity. Although the night appeared mostly calm, Ukraine’s military reported that Russian forces conducted airstrikes in the eastern Sumy region early Thursday. No casualties or damage were reported.

The truce overlaps with the visit of several world leaders to Moscow, including China’s Xi Jinping, Brazil’s Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and Serbia’s Aleksandar Vucic, who are attending events commemorating the end of World War II.

Ukrainian officials have rejected Russian President Vladimir Putin’s proposed three-day ceasefire, calling it a mere performance and instead pushing for a 30-day truce to create space for diplomatic efforts.

Although the Kremlin claimed the temporary pause in fighting — which coincides with Russia’s Victory Day celebrations — was meant to signal Moscow’s openness to peace, Kyiv remained unconvinced. In his Wednesday evening address, President Volodymyr Zelensky reaffirmed Ukraine’s offer for a longer ceasefire and expressed frustration over Russia’s lack of engagement.

Tensions persisted ahead of the ceasefire’s start, with both sides launching airstrikes. Russia temporarily shut down airports like Nizhny Novgorod for safety, while at least two casualties were reported in Ukraine due to the attacks.

The Kremlin stated that Russian forces would observe the ceasefire during the holiday but would respond swiftly if provoked. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump, who has sought to broker peace since taking office in January, has yet to achieve a breakthrough in ending the ongoing conflict.

Putin declared the temporary ceasefire last month, describing it as a “humanitarian” gesture following U.S. pressure to pause Russia’s ongoing offensive against Ukraine.

However, the Russian president had previously turned down a joint U.S.-Ukrainian proposal for an unconditional ceasefire in March.

Ukrainian officials remain skeptical of Russia’s intentions, citing hundreds of violations during a prior 30-hour Easter truce ordered by Putin. Kyiv maintains that it does not trust Moscow to honour the current ceasefire either.

Despite Putin’s announcement, Russia launched more than 100 drones and several ballistic missiles at Ukraine between late Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon, according to Ukrainian authorities. Among the casualties were a woman and her son.

The U.S. has grown increasingly frustrated with the stalled peace efforts. Vice President JD Vance urged both nations on Wednesday to begin direct negotiations.