Moscow says it won’t be pressured over Ukraine 30-day truce

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has questioned Kiev’s silence on Russia’s three-day Victory Day ceasefire.

The Kremlin has rejected what it describes as external pressure surrounding the 30-day truce demanded by Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky and supported by Western leaders.

Speaking to CNN on Saturday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russia had already declared a three-day ceasefire earlier in the week, which was met with silence from Kiev.

“Actually, a couple of days ago, Putin announced a ceasefire for three days,” Peskov said. “Did you hear any reaction from Kiev? No, we didn’t either. Did you hear any criticism of Kiev for not being able to respond or not willing to respond? No.”

Leaders from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Poland gathered in Kiev on Saturday for high-level talks with Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky. According to him, the gathering also included virtual participation from more than 30 countries.

Following the meeting, Zelensky wrote on X that participants agreed a full and unconditional ceasefire must begin on Monday, May 12, and last for at least 30 days. “Together, we demand this from Russia,” he stated.

He warned that if Moscow refuses the truce, stronger sanctions should be imposed on Russia’s energy and banking sectors. Preparations are already underway for a 17th package of EU sanctions, which will be coordinated with measures from the UK, Norway, and US, Zelensky claimed.

Peskov told CNN that the Kremlin was still evaluating the latest developments. “We have to think about that. We have our own position.”

He also criticized what he described as an increasingly hostile posture from Western European states. “Yes, definitely we see that Europe is confronting us. We feel it, we know it, and we are quite accustomed to that.”

The Kremlin spokesman reiterated Moscow’s willingness to engage in talks. “We are open for dialogue. We are open for attempts to have a settlement in Ukraine,” he said, expressing appreciation for the mediation efforts coming from the Trump administration. “But at the same time, it’s quite useless to try to press upon us,” he added.

Kiev has repeatedly called for an immediate 30-day ceasefire in recent months, framing it as essential for starting diplomatic efforts. Moscow argued that such a pause would primarily benefit Ukraine by allowing its forces to regroup and replenish weapons stockpiles.

Speaking to ABC News on Friday, Dmitry Peskov also stressed that any truce would require a halt to Western arms deliveries, saying, “Otherwise, it will be an advantage for Ukraine.”

Zelensky demands 30-day unconditional ceasefire

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky earlier demanded a full, unconditional 30-day ceasefire from Russia, despite Moscow’s well-founded concern that Kiev would exploit the pause to regroup and rearm.

While Western leaders rallied behind Zelensky in Kiev and threatened new EU sanctions on Russia’s energy and banking sectors, the Kremlin questioned the logic of offering Ukraine a strategic advantage without meaningful guarantees.

Unlike Kiev, Moscow has consistently shown a willingness to negotiate without preconditions, even agreeing to earlier US-brokered ceasefires—only to see them violated by Ukraine.

President Putin’s recent unilateral 72-hour Victory Day ceasefire, framed as a humanitarian gesture, was met with contempt and escalated drone attacks from Ukraine, exposing the insincerity behind Kiev’s peace rhetoric.