Zelenskyy says ceasefire possible anytime, but doubts Russia will honour Victory Day truce

In its more than three-year-old war is possible at any moment, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday that a ceasefire with Russia. Though, he also said that he did “not believe” Russia would adhere to a coming three-day truce to coincide with Moscow’s Victory Day celebrations.

Zelenskyy, speaking at a joint news conference in Prague alongside Czech President Petr Pavel, also said that Ukraine hopes to receive 1.8 million shells in 2025 under a Czech initiative to provide military assistance.

Ukraine won’t guarantee safety for visitors to Russia

He said that Ukraine cannot provide security assurances to foreign officials planning to visit Russia around May 9, warning that Moscow could stage provocations and later attempt to blame Ukraine.

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Zelenskyy said that some governments had approached Kyiv seeking safety reassurance while their delegations are in Russia.

“Our position is very simple: we cannot take responsibility for what happens on the territory of the Russian Federation,” he said. “They are the ones providing your security, and we will not be offering any guarantees.”

Zelenskyy said he had instructed Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry to advise against visiting Russia during this period. “We must tell those who approach us: we do not recommend visiting the Russian Federation from a security standpoint. And if you choose to do so, don’t ask us — it’s your personal decision.”

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The Ukrainian leader reiterated that Kyiv’s military actions will remain “mirror-like,” responding to Russia’s moves. He acknowledged that implementing a complete front-line ceasefire without robust international monitoring remains nearly impossible, but emphasized that the 30-day window offers a credible start.

He confirmed ongoing efforts to convene the next round of negotiations with the U.S. He also expressed hope that it could happen in Ukraine, saying it was a “positive sign” that such a gathering is under discussion despite recent personnel changes in Washington.

Russia wants Ukraine to ‘de-escalate’

In response to Zelenskyy’s comments, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that he had “unequivocally threatened the world leaders who are planning to arrive in Moscow on May 9.”

Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, said Saturday that nobody could guarantee Kyiv’s safety if Ukraine attacked Moscow celebrations on May 9.

“In the event of a real provocation on Victory Day, no one will guarantee that May 10 will come in Kyiv,” he wrote on Telegram.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that Russia expects Kyiv to take steps to de-escalate before Victory Day.

“We will, of course, expect (from) Kyiv not ambiguous, but final statements, and most importantly, actions aimed at de-escalating the conflict during the holidays,” Peskov told journalists.

Russia’s ceasefire proposals, he said, were meant to “test Kyiv’s readiness to find ways for long-term sustainable peace between Russia and Ukraine.”