A US-brokered ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine was due to expire on Monday, with both sides accusing each other of violating the 72-hour truce. Ukrainian authorities reported that Russian drones, bombs, and artillery struck civilian areas in the northeastern Kharkiv and southern Kherson regions, killing at least two people and wounding seven others. Russia’s Defence Ministry, meanwhile, accused Kyiv of committing over 1,000 ceasefire violations, according to state media.
The ceasefire, announced by US President Donald Trump last Friday, was intended to mark Victory Day, the Russian celebration of the defeat of Nazi Germany. Trump said both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had accepted the request for a halt in fighting from Saturday through Monday. The Washington-based Institute for the Study of War noted that NASA data indicated a decrease in military activities, but not a complete stop, and warned that ceasefires without enforcement mechanisms are unlikely to hold.
Trump had also mentioned a prisoner exchange, with Zelenskyy confirming that an exchange of 1,000 prisoners from each side was being prepared. However, there are no signs of flexibility in the key negotiating positions. Putin demands full control of the Donbas region, which Ukraine refuses to surrender, while Zelenskyy has offered a ceasefire and a face-to-face meeting, which Putin has ruled out until a negotiated settlement is almost finalised.
Putin suggested that former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder could act as a mediator, but German and European officials dismissed this. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the bloc must clarify its objectives before negotiating with Russia. Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, who joined EU foreign ministers in Brussels, stressed the need for US leadership but acknowledged Europe could play a role, noting Ukraine’s improved battlefield performance and use of domestically developed long-range drones and missiles.
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius arrived in Kyiv on an unannounced visit focused on defence cooperation. Meanwhile, Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina ordered the resignation of Defence Minister Andris Sprūds after drone incidents that she said demonstrated a failure to ensure safe skies. Sybiha spoke with Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže about the incidents, which investigations attributed to Russian electronic warfare diverting Ukrainian drones from their targets. Ukraine reaffirmed its commitment to working with Baltic states and Finland to prevent similar incidents.
