Ukraine-Russia war live: Putin’s 72-hour ceasefire slammed by Zelensky as ‘manipulation’

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has accused the Russian president Vladimir Putin of manipulating the world and deceiving the US along with his newest short-term ceasefire provide made yesterday.

Mr Putin introduced a brief ceasefire alongside the struggle frontline in Ukraine subsequent weekend to mark the eightieth anniversary of victory within the Second World Battle, the Kremlin has stated.

“Russia has persistently rejected every part and continues to control the world, making an attempt to deceive the USA. Now, but once more, one other try at manipulation: for some motive everybody is meant to attend till 8 Might earlier than ceasing fireplace — simply to supply Putin with silence for his parade,” Mr Zelensky stated in his nightly deal with yesterday.

He stated: “We in Ukraine by no means needed a single second of this struggle. Again on 11 March, we responded positively to the American proposal for a full ceasefire.”

“We made our personal proposal to Russia – bilaterally – to halt strikes not less than on civilian targets. We additionally proposed making the Easter ceasefire full and increasing it for thirty days,” Mr Zelensky stated, highlighting quite a few ceasefire proposals made by Kyiv that haven’t been acknowledged by Moscow up to now.

The 72-hour ceasefire is the second introduced by Moscow in latest weeks, after it declared a 30-hour Easter Sunday truce – which Kyiv and its European allies accused it of breaching.

The Kremlin stated the truce will final from the start of 8 Might and final till the shut of 10 Might, including that Russia give an “satisfactory and efficient response” to any Ukrainian violations.

Moscow stays prepared for peace talks with none preconditions, the assertion added.

Mr Zelensky has known as for a “full and unconditional stop fireplace for not less than 30 days” to supply “a foundation for actual diplomacy”.

The UN has reacted to Russian president Vladimir Putin’s announcement of a brief ceasefire alongside the struggle frontlines in Ukraine.

A prime UN official has stated that the company needs to see an finish to Russia’s struggle primarily based on worldwide regulation and the organisation’s constitution.

“We’ve taken word of the varied statements. Our place stays the identical, that we need to see an finish to the struggle, however we have to see an finish to the struggle that continues to be principled and constant and firmly grounded within the UN Constitution, in worldwide regulation, according to all of the related resolutions. It must be sustainable and recognise the sovereignty and [territorial] integrity of Ukraine,” stated Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN secretary common Antonio Guterres.

The Russian president yesterday declared a brand new three-day ceasefire in Might to mark the eightieth anniversary of the victory of the Soviet Union and its allies within the Second World Battle.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky reacted to the Russian chief’s announcement and stated the world didn’t need to wait till 8 Might for a ceasefire that may solely be in impact for a couple of days.

Moscow, which has occupied Crimea since a floor invasion in 2014, has stated it doesn’t see the southern peninsula as being a part of any negotiations.

“It is a carried out deal,” Russian overseas minister Sergei Lavrov stated of Crimea in an interview with CBS Information’ Face The Nation program. “Russia do[es] not negotiate its personal territory.”

Mr Trump has ramped up stress on Kyiv over Crimea, saying in no unsure phrases that “Crimea will stick with Russia” in an interview with Time printed on Friday. “Zelensky understands that and everyone understands that it’s been with them for a very long time,” he added.

Requested whether or not he “favored” the feedback by the US president, Mr Lavrov stated: “It isn’t about liking or disliking. It is about the truth that he stated the reality.”

Volodymyr Zelensky has supplied emergency help to Spain after the nation was hit by a sudden energy outage yesterday.

The Ukrainian president additionally cited dozens of Russian assaults on Ukraine’s power system and stated that the war-hit nation has expertise in dealing with power challenges.

“I spoke with the Prime Minister of Spain @SanchezCastejon in regards to the emergency state of affairs within the power system. It doesn’t matter what occurs, we’re all the time prepared to help and help our buddies,” Mr Zelensky stated.

He added: “Over time of struggle and Russian assaults on our power system, Ukraine has gained important expertise in overcoming any power challenges, together with blackouts. Our specialists can be part of restoration efforts. I supplied such help to Spain. I instructed Ukraine’s Minister of Power to behave as swiftly as attainable. Our technical specialists are prepared to assist.”

Russia launched 100 drones in in a single day assaults concentrating on Ukraine, Ukraine’s air pressure stated this morning.

Ukraine’s air pressure stated it shot down 37 drones, whereas 47 others disappeared from radars with out reaching their targets – often a results of being jammed by digital warfare techniques

The assaults induced harm within the Kharkiv, Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk and Kyiv areas, it stated in a Telegram submit.

US secretary of state Marco Rubio has urged Russia’s overseas minister Sergei Lavrov to finish the struggle in Ukraine now, a spokesperson stated.

“After Particular Envoy Witkoff’s 25 April go to to Moscow, the Secretary underscored to his Russian counterpart the subsequent steps in Russia-Ukraine peace talks and the necessity to finish the struggle now,” US state division spokesperson Tammy Bruce stated.

The “United States is critical about faciliating an finish to this mindless struggle”, in accordance with the spokesperson who stated that Mr Rubio and Mr Lavrov spoke on Sunday on the Russian official’s request.

In what seems to be a remaining push from Washington, the Trump administration is making intense efforts to dealer a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia.

Mr Rubio has threatened that the US may abandon the method and stroll away if there are not any indicators of cooperation and that the upcoming week will likely be essential for figuring out the US’s involvement within the peace talks.

Of all of the 20 per cent of Ukraine’s territory taken after Russia invaded Crimea 11 years in the past and launched its wider Anschluss in 2022, Crimea is the best Russian prize.

Whoever controls Sevastopol is prone to dominate the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. Exterior of Tartus, in Syria, which Russia misplaced just lately, it’s – or was – Russia’s solely warm-weather port.

US president Donald Trump stated he believes he’s “saving” the war-hit Ukraine and that he’s doing a “nice service” to the nation.

Speaking to the Atlantic’s editor-in-chief in a sit-down interview on his first 100 days in workplace, Mr Trump stated: “I feel I’m saving that nation.”

“I feel that nation will likely be crushed very shortly. It’s a giant struggle machine… I feel I’m doing an important service to Ukraine. I consider that,” the US president stated.

Mr Trump blamed his predecessor Joe Biden for the struggle he doesn’t need to be “saddled with” in an interview with the information outlet.

“And once more, that is (former US president Joe) Biden’s struggle. I am not gonna get saddled – I do not wanna be saddled with it. It is a horrible struggle. Ought to have by no means occurred. It might’ve by no means occurred, as certain as you’re sitting there,” Mr Trump stated.

Repeating the US’s threats to desert the peace talks as his crew hits a useless finish on a ceasefire, Mr Trump stated: “We’ll need to see what occurs over the subsequent interval of just about per week. We’re right down to remaining strokes.”

Whereas claiming that he was “on Ukraine’s aspect”, the US president stated he “had a tough time with Zelensky”.

A Washington crew has been partaking in intense shuttle diplomacy, trying to pressure by a deal between Ukraine and Russia as progress in the direction of peace gave the impression to be slowing.

Washington additionally proposed de facto US recognition of Russian management of the occupied japanese Ukrainian area of Luhansk and elements of Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Kherson, all of which lie on the frontline.

It’s unclear the place the strains of demarcation could be, and whether or not Washington is demanding that Ukraine cede the entire land at the moment occupied by Russia within the areas of Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk and Kherson.

Russia’s in a single day drone assault killed a 12-year-old woman within the Dnipropetrovsk area and injured her mother and father, Ukraine’s emergency service stated this morning.

One other little one was rescued from beneath the rubble, the emergency service stated in a submit on social media.

An unspecified variety of drones from Russia have focused Ukrainian cities this morning.