Volodymyr Zelensky said he had directed his team to reach out to the U.S. president’s staff to learn the details of Russia’s Victory Day ceasefire proposal.

Zelensky wrote on social media that his team needed to determine whether the proposal amounted to a few hours of safety for a parade in Moscow or something more substantial. Ukraine’s position, he wrote, was to secure a long-term ceasefire, reliable safety for its people, and lasting peace — and he said Ukraine was ready to pursue that goal in any worthy and effective format.

The day before, Vladimir Putin proposed a ceasefire during the Victory Day celebrations in a phone call with Donald Trump. Putin’s aide Yuri Ushakov said the call was initiated by the Russian side. Trump later said the suggestion had been his — that he had urged Putin to declare a brief ceasefire.

The previous front-line ceasefire was declared for Easter in April 2026. Putin announced it unilaterally, and Zelensky said Ukrainian forces would respond in kind. Both sides ultimately accused each other of numerous violations, and the intensity of fighting effectively did not decrease — though the Ukrainian General Staff noted that Russian forces had refrained from missile, air, and drone strikes.