Moscow and Kyiv have accused each other of violating a 72-hour ceasefire brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump, which was due to expire on Monday. The arrangement, intended to mark Victory Day, has failed to halt hostilities, with both sides reporting continued attacks.
Ceasefire Violations and Casualties
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 Defense Ministry, meanwhile, accused Kyiv of committing over 1,000 ceasefire violations, according to state media.
The Washington-based Institute for the Study of War noted that NASA data indicated military activities decreased but did not stop after Trump announced the ceasefire. The ISW warned that "ceasefires without explicit enforcement mechanisms, credible monitoring, and defined dispute resolution processes are unlikely to hold."
Diplomatic Efforts Stalled
Trump had expressed hope that the ceasefire could mark the "beginning of the end" of the war, and a prisoner exchange of 1,000 from each side is being prepared. However, no progress has been made on key negotiating positions. Russian President Vladimir Putin demands all of the Donbas region, which Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy refuses to surrender. Zelenskyy has proposed a ceasefire and a face-to-face meeting, but Putin has ruled out direct talks until a settlement is nearly finalized.
Putin suggested former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder as a mediator, but German and European officials rejected the idea. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas stressed that the bloc must align its objectives before engaging with the Kremlin.
Ukraine's Military Gains
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, attending an EU meeting in Brussels, noted that Ukraine has improved its battlefield performance, using domestically developed long-range drones and missiles to hit targets deep inside Russia. "We have a new reality on the battlefield… Ukraine became stronger after the most difficult winter," he said.
Regional Fallout
In Latvia, Prime Minister Evika Silina ordered the resignation of Defense Minister Andris Sprūds after drone incidents that undermined confidence in airspace security. Sprūds resigned, calling it a domestic political dispute. Ukraine's Sybiha discussed the incidents with Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže, reaffirming Ukraine's commitment to preventing similar occurrences with Baltic states and Finland.
Estonia, Poland, and Romania have also reported stray drones on their territory, highlighting the conflict's broader regional impact.
