'We don't recommend' — Zelensky warns foreign officials against attending Russia's Victory Day parade
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Ukraine "doesn't recommend" that foreign representatives attend the May 9 parade in Moscow, President Volodymyr Zelensky said, after Russia threatened retaliation if its unilateral ceasefire was violated.
The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed on May 7 President Vladimir Putin's announcement of a unilateral ceasefire from midnight May 8 to May 10. According to the ministry, during this period, "all Russian military units will fully cease combat operations."
The Russian Defense Ministry warned that any ceasefire violations by Ukraine or attempts to target Russian facilities would be met with "an adequate response." Russia further threatened to launch a mass attack on the center of Kyiv if Ukraine attempts to disrupt the May 9 parade in Moscow.
Ukraine has consistently called for an unconditional ceasefire with Russia, which Moscow has rejected.
After Putin declared a "Victory Day truce," Zelensky said on May 4 that Ukraine would implement a ceasefire on May 6. Later, he said that by 10 a.m. local time on the first day, Russia had already violated the ceasefire 1,820 times.
"They want permission from Ukraine to hold their parade, so they can safely march onto the square for one hour once a year, and then go back to killing our people and waging war again," Zelensky said in his evening address on May 7.
According to the Ukrainian president, some Russia-friendly countries reached out to Ukraine about their officials' plans to attend the May 9 parade in Moscow.
"An odd desire… these days. We don't recommend it," he added.
In similarly veiled remarks, Zelensky earlier said that the fate of Russia's May 9 military parade "depends" on Ukraine's army, as concerns grow in Moscow over possible attacks during the event.
A senior Ukrainian official told the Kyiv Independent on May 6 that Kyiv sees no reason to observe a ceasefire proposed by Moscow for Victory Day celebrations.
Temporary truces announced during the war, often tied to religious or commemorative holidays, have repeatedly failed. Ukraine's General Staff said Russia violated the Orthodox Easter truce 10,721 times during a 32-hour period in April.
Just days before the announced two-day May ceasefire, Russia carried out mass daytime attacks on Ukrainian cities in the east and south, killing at least 17 people.
