Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of violating a US-mediated three-day ceasefire, stating that the Russian army is continuing assault operations on the frontline. In his evening address on Sunday, Zelenskyy said: 'The Russians are continuing assault activity in sectors key for them. On the frontline, the Russian army is not complying with the ceasefire and is not even really trying to.'
The ceasefire, announced by US President Donald Trump on Friday, is part of a broader push for peace that has so far failed to end the war, now in its fourth year. Both sides have accused each other of violations, with Ukrainian officials reporting nearly 150 battlefield clashes and Russian drone strikes over the past 24 hours. Russia's defence ministry claimed it shot down 57 Ukrainian drones.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated he believes the war is 'coming to an end', but senior Kremlin aides downplayed the prospect of a quick resolution. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said reaching a peace agreement would take a long time, and aide Yuri Ushakov indicated negotiations would 'probably resume' but only if Ukrainian forces withdraw from the Donetsk region—a condition Kyiv has rejected.
The ceasefire came ahead of Moscow's Victory Day parade, which was scaled back due to security concerns from Ukrainian drone strikes. The parade lacked its usual display of military hardware. In Ukraine, Russian strikes killed one person and wounded several others across multiple regions, including children, according to regional governors.
With no breakthrough on the battlefield, the mood in Russia is souring, and advances have slowed in recent months. The European Council president, António Costa, has suggested potential for EU negotiations with Russia on European security architecture.
