Ukraine has dismissed Russia’s proposed Victory Day ceasefire as politically motivated and lacking credibility, as fighting continues across the front lines and both sides trade accusations over violations of previous truces.
A senior Ukrainian official told the Kyiv Independent that Kyiv sees “no point” in observing the temporary pause suggested by Moscow for its May 8–9 commemorations, arguing that such arrangements have repeatedly failed to hold and appear designed primarily to protect Russia’s military celebrations.
“We just don’t see the point (to follow it) for the parade,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The remarks came shortly after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia had already violated a Ukrainian-proposed ceasefire thousands of times within hours of its supposed implementation, underscoring Kyiv’s scepticism about any short-term pause in hostilities.
Mr Zelensky said on May 4 that Ukraine would implement a ceasefire beginning May 6, after Russia proposed a separate “Victory Day ceasefire” covering May 8–9. The overlapping initiatives have instead highlighted the deep mistrust between the two sides, with neither agreeing on terms or verification mechanisms.
The Kremlin proposal coincides with preparations for Russia’s annual Victory Day parade in Moscow on May 9 — a major state event showcasing military hardware and national symbolism. According to Ukrainian officials, Russia has previously scaled back aspects of the parade amid fears of potential Ukrainian disruption.
Ceasefires declared during the war, particularly those announced unilaterally by Moscow during religious or symbolic holidays, have consistently collapsed within hours or days, with each side accusing the other of violations.
Ukraine’s General Staff has previously said that a 32-hour Easter truce was breached more than 10,000 times by Russian forces, reinforcing Kyiv’s position that such arrangements are used tactically rather than as genuine steps towards de-escalation.
Oleksandr Merezhko, chair of the Ukrainian parliament’s foreign affairs committee, said Kyiv remained open to a genuine and unconditional ceasefire, but rejected what he described as symbolic pauses designed to ensure the smooth running of Russia’s domestic political events.
He suggested the Kremlin’s priority was avoiding any disruption to the Victory Day parade, which remains one of the most significant dates in Russia’s political calendar.
“Putin’s nightmare is to have the military parade disrupted or spoiled,” he said, arguing that the proposal reflected political vulnerability rather than a credible peace initiative.
Moscow, for its part, has accused Ukraine of continuing to strike Russian territory and occupied areas despite ceasefire declarations, including alleged attacks on Crimea and the Bryansk region. Kyiv has not publicly responded to those claims.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Russia’s failure to accept a broader pause in fighting demonstrated that it was not serious about peace, accusing Moscow of using ceasefire rhetoric for political effect.
“Moscow once again ignored a realistic and fair call to end hostilities,” he said. “This shows that Russia rejects peace and its fake calls for a ceasefire on May 9th have nothing to do with diplomacy.”
He added that “Putin only cares about military parades, not human lives.”
With both sides entrenched and mutual trust at a low point, the latest exchange of ceasefire proposals has instead become another front in the wider information and diplomatic war accompanying the conflict, rather than a pathway towards de-escalation.
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