"Russia is ready for negotiations without any preconditions," Putin claimed in an address marking the end of the three-day Victory Day ceasefire. He invited Ukraine to begin talks in Istanbul on May 15.
While serving as a bishop in Peru, Robert Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, called the full-scale war "a true invasion, imperialist in nature, where Russia seeks to conquer territory for reasons of power.”
Speaking to CNN on May 10, Peskov commented on the latest ceasefire proposal from Ukraine and Europe, responding that Russia needs to "think about" it, but is "resistant" to pressure.
Speaking at a press conference in Kyiv on May 10, President Volodymyr Zelensky rebuked the idea of a demilitarized zone in the war and emphasized the importance of first securing a ceasefire.
"We agreed that a full and unconditional ceasefire must begin on Monday, May 12, for at least 30 days. We jointly demand this from Russia, and we know we are supported in this by the United States," Zelensky said.
Ukrainian media outlet ZN.UA reported on May 10 that their law enforcement sources confirmed an ongoing probe by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau into suspected embezzlement, money laundering and bribery.
Iran is preparing to send Russia Fath-360 short-range ballistic missile launchers, Reuters reported on May 9, citing Western security and regional officials familiar with the matter.
"Ukraine and all allies are ready for a complete unconditional ceasefire on land, in the air, and at sea for at least 30 days, starting as early as Monday," Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote.
U.S. President Donald Trump has acknowledged in private that Russia is difficult to negotiate with because they "want the whole thing," referring to Ukraine, the WSJ reported, citing sources familiar with the comments.
A notice about the airspace closure was published on the U.S. Defense Department's NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) website on May 10, as cited by Ukrainian defense news outlet Militarnyi.
Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky talks to the media at the EU Council headquarters on March 18, 2024 in Brussels, Belgium. (Thierry Monasse/Getty Images)
Russian President Vladimir Putin's declaration of a temporary ceasefire on the Easter holiday amount to little more than "a media stunt," Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said on April 20.
Putin announced on April 19 that an Easter ceasefire would last from 6 p.m. that evening until midnight on April 21. Russia has already violated the temporary truce multiple times, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky and soldiers on Ukraine's front lines.
Russia's failure to follow through on its own ceasefire demonstrate Putin's contempt of the peace process, Lipavsky told the Czech media outlet CNN Prima News.
"It's like going on a hunger strike between breakfast and lunch and secretly eating candy," he said.
"We see that the attacks are continuing. Ukraine reports that there have been a number of attacks, so the ceasefire declared in this way is more of a media stunt than reality."
The weekend ceasefire is also no substitution for the full 30-day ceasefire on hostilities that the U.S. has been lobbying for since March, Lipavsky continued.
"Putin never agreed to that and started to set other conditions. We should look at what the reality is rather than at the words," he said.
Ukraine has agreed to enter a complete month-long truce since March 11. Kyiv's only requirement is that Moscow abide by the same terms — but the Kremlin has continuously pushed back on Washington's proposal, demanding extraordinary concessions from Ukraine in exchange for a pause on attacks.
Putin's declaration of an Easter truce came shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to withdraw from peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.
"If for some reason one of the two parties makes it very difficult, we're just going to say: 'you're foolish, you're fools, you're horrible people,' and we're just going to take a pass," Trump told reporters on April 18.
The following day, Putin claimed he ordered the Easter ceasefire.
Relations between the U.S. and Russia have warmed significantly since Trump's election and subsequent involvement in peace negotiations. Washington is reportedly considering recognizing occupied Crimea as a Russian territory and lifting sanctions against Moscow as part of a future peace deal.
Lipavsky's dismissal of Putin's apparent posturing echoes the response of other European leaders to the so-called Easter truce. The U.K. foreign ministry on April 19 called on Russia to go beyond a "one-day pause" and commit to a complete ceasefire. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani urged Putin "to finally stop this war he started."
Abbey Fenbert is a senior news editor at the Kyiv Independent. She is a freelance writer, editor, and playwright with an MFA from Boston University. Abbey served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ukraine from 2008-2011.
Kate Tsurkan
