During a phone conversation with the US President, Donald Trump, the Russian leader Vladimir Putin proposed a ceasefire with Ukraine on Victory Day, celebrated on May 9th.
According to Kremlin adviser, Yuri Ushakov, Putin initiated the call. Speaking later with the press in the Oval Office, Trump noted that the two leaders had not spoken for some time and asked: “Has he [Putin] announced this already?“, writes Kyiv Post.
For the first time since 2008, the annual Victory Day parade will take place without heavy military equipment, such as tanks, rocket launchers, or artillery systems.
Officially, the Russian Ministry of Defense has invoked the “current operational situation“, however, analysts say that the absence reflects both the lack of equipment and security fears.
After more than four years of intense fighting in Ukraine, Russia has suffered significant losses in armored vehicles and artillery systems.
At the same time, Moscow remains vulnerable to long-distance drone attacks from Ukraine. A temporary ceasefire could reduce the risk of strikes on the capital during one of the Kremlin’s most symbolic national events.
The Kremlin uses the armistice proposal to present itself as open to negotiations and to put diplomatic pressure on Kiev, risking portraying Ukraine as reluctant to end the conflict if it refuses.
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