Zelenskyy Offers May 5 Ceasefire in Russia Ukraine War
Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine would begin a regime of silence from 00.00 on the night of May 5 to May 6 in the russia ukraine war if Russia reciprocates. The offer came after Moscow demanded a ceasefire for Friday and Saturday so Russia can mark Victory Day, turning the truce into a direct test of who will move first.
Zelenskyy and Putin
Zelenskyy called the Russian request "not serious" and said Ukraine had not received any official requests for a truce. He added that it was realistic to ensure a ceasefire takes effect by midnight on Wednesday and that Ukraine would act symmetrically according to Russian actions.
Vladimir Putin wants empty skies on Friday and Saturday for the 81st anniversary of the second world war defeat of Nazi Germany. Russia's defence ministry demanded that hostilities cease for that period, while the parade in Moscow is scheduled to take place without tanks, missiles and other military equipment for the first time in nearly two decades.
Kyiv and Moscow
That exchange sits inside day 1,532 of the war. Zelenskyy said in Armenia on Monday that Russian authorities fear drones may buzz over Red Square on 9 May, adding: "fear drones may buzz over Red Square" and, "This is telling. It shows they are not strong now, so we must keep up the pressure through sanctions on them."
The friction point is the same one that has shaped earlier Russian ceasefire declarations: Ukraine is tying any pause to reciprocity, while Russia is linking its own truce demand to a state celebration in Moscow. Zelenskyy also urged the Kremlin to "to take real steps to end their war, especially since Russia’s defence ministry believes it cannot hold a parade in Moscow without Ukraine’s goodwill".
Merefa and Moscow
The military pressure behind the exchange remains visible in Ukraine. A Russian missile attack killed seven people and wounded more than 30 in Merefa in Ukraine's north-eastern Kharkiv region, a reminder of the stakes around any pause and how quickly the front can widen beyond the immediate diplomatic calendar.
Russia's economy is also under strain in the same period: TsMAKP cut its forecast for Russia's GDP growth this year to between 0.5% and 0.7%, from 0.9% and 1.3%, and said a reduction in exports from Russia is expected compared with 2025. Russia's economy contracted by 0.3% in the first quarter, after April oil output was reduced because of Ukrainian drone attacks on ports and refineries.
The next fixed date in the dispute is 9 May, when Russia's Victory Day parade in Moscow is scheduled. Until then, the operational question is whether Moscow answers Zelenskyy's midnight ceasefire offer with a matching pause or keeps the pressure on Kyiv as Friday and Saturday approach.
