Russian President Vladimir Putin needs a ceasefire between May 7 and 9. During this time, it is impossible to reach an agreement on the next steps to end the war, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said during a conversation with journalists, quoted by Ukrinform, BTA reports.
"Putin's game with such an artificial 'humanitarian' mission from May 7 to 9 is understandable. He took office as president 25 years ago on May 7 and seems to be responding to the signals that the US, through (US President Donald Trump's special envoy for the Middle East Steve) Witkoff, has already offered him. An unconditional ceasefire is the model that the Americans have proposed. We are following it. From this or another date, preferably earlier. Yes, let's try for 30 days. Why a 30-day ceasefire? Because it is impossible to agree on anything in three, five or seven days," Zelensky said.
"Nobody will help Putin to create a soft atmosphere in which Putin will come out of isolation on May 9 and everyone will feel comfortable and safe - those leaders, friends or partners of Putin who for one reason or another will go to Red Square on May 9. It's just that either we are at war, or Putin is showing that he is ready for a ceasefire, for the first part of the end of the war. We are ready to start from the 1st, 3rd, 5th (of May). If he needs a date of the 7th, we don't care. From 7 to 30 days", Zelensky emphasized.
According to him, if Russia is really ready to talk about a real ceasefire, then everyone should support the US strategy and cease fire for 30 days.
"The simple problem is that they kill you by the 7th, then they take two or three days for themselves, and on the 11th they attack us again with missiles. I just don't see any suggestion in this. Our actions are constantly being reflected. We said that if there is a decision on a 30-day ceasefire, everyone understands that it is still impossible to fully control the assault actions everywhere without serious monitoring or to stop all shooting along the front line", Zelensky emphasized.
He recalled that even after 2014, during the ceasefire, there was still shooting in some places. According to Zelensky, it is impossible to achieve complete silence (complete ceasefire - ed. note) on the front without monitoring, Ukrinform notes.
"Everyone understands what complete silence is. And it is impossible to achieve it without high-quality monitoring. However, if there is a desire, then it is announced that let there be a month. Then we believe that they are ready for the next steps. We have sent all our signals to the Americans, the British and the French. The Americans agree with us. At least the official position of the White House was that they understand that this is just a game on their part, an insignificant conversation. We both agreed (during the conversation with Donald Trump) that 30 days is the right first step. And we will move in this direction," the Ukrainian president said.
On Monday, Putin announced a three-day ceasefire in Ukraine from May 8 to 10 to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Soviet Union and its allies in World War II. For his part, Zelensky said that there was no need to wait until the 8th, as Putin had announced, for a ceasefire, as it could happen immediately.
White House spokeswoman Carolyn Levitt, commenting on Putin's statement about his readiness to declare a short truce, said that President Donald Trump wants to see a permanent ceasefire in Ukraine to stop the bloodshed.