By Charles Pemu 
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has fiercely dismissed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s proposed three-day truce, calling it a cynical attempt at manipulation rather than a genuine step toward peace.
In his nightly address to the nation on Monday, Zelensky criticized Putin’s decision to delay a ceasefire until May 8, coinciding with Russia’s annual World War II Victory Day commemorations.
“Now there’s a new attempt at manipulation: for some reason, everyone has to wait until May 8,” Zelensky said, rejecting the proposal as a hollow gesture.
Earlier, the Kremlin had announced that Russian forces would observe a ceasefire from May 8 to May 10, a move Kyiv views with deep suspicion. Ukrainian officials have argued that if Russia were truly serious about seeking peace, it would halt hostilities immediately.
“If Russia truly wants peace, it must cease fire immediately. Why wait until May 8th?” Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga demanded in a statement on X (formerly Twitter).
Kyiv has insisted on a minimum 30-day ceasefire as a condition to kickstart meaningful peace talks, far beyond the limited window Moscow has proposed.
Meanwhile, the United States, a major ally of Ukraine, has warned that the coming days would be “critical” in determining whether a viable pathway to peace still exists.
Putin’s truce offer has thus far only deepened mistrust between the two nations, with Ukraine and its Western partners viewing the move as a strategic pause rather than a true commitment to ending the war — raising concerns that Russia could use the lull to regroup and reinforce its positions.
As tensions continue to escalate, Zelensky’s firm rejection signals that any future negotiations will be predicated not on symbolic gestures, but on concrete, immediate actions.