Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged stronger, more decisive support from his country’s allies, saying: „While the world hesitates… nearly every night in Ukraine turns into a nightmare, costing lives.“ Listen to the latest episode of The World podcast as you scroll.
Saturday 3 May 2025 13:31, UK
The Kremlin says it wants a „definitive“ response from Ukraine over its offer of a three-day ceasefire, to coincide with World War Two victory commemorations later this month.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says the offer is a test to assess Kyiv’s readiness for a peace settlement.
But Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said a 30-day ceasefire is the most meaningful step towards ending the war.
„Let’s be honest – you can’t agree on anything serious in three, five, or seven days,“ he said on Friday.
He has called Putin’s offer a 72-hour pause a „soft atmosphere“ ahead of Russia’s annual celebrations.
„It looks unserious,“ he said. „So that Putin’s guests on Red Square feel comfortable and safe.“
He said Kyiv’s military actions will remain „mirror-like“, responding to Russia’s moves.
No one can guarantee the safety of Ukraine’s capital Kyiv if Moscow attacks during World War Two victory celebrations, the deputy chairman of Russia’s security council has said this morning.
On Monday, Vladimir Putin declared a three-day ceasefire in May in the war with Ukraine to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Soviet Union and its allies in World War Two.
The Kremlin said the 72-hour ceasefire would run on 8 May, 9 May – when Putin will host international leaders including Chinese President Xi Jinping for celebrations to commemorate victory over Nazi Germany – and 10 May.
In response, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he was ready, as long as the ceasefire was 30 days in length – something Putin has ruled out.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine, given the continued war with Russia, could not guarantee the safety of any foreign dignitaries who came to Moscow for the traditional May 9 victory parade.
In response, Dmitry Medvedev, a former Russian president who is outspoken in his anti-Western sentiment, called the statement a „verbal provocation“ and said nobody had asked for Kyiv’s security guarantees for the May 9 events.
„(Zelenskyy) understands that in the event of a real provocation on Victory Day, nobody will be able to guarantee that Kyiv will live to see May 10,“ he wrote on Telegram.
Donald Trump’s assertion that the US had done more to win World War Two has been dismissed as „pretentious nonsense“ by the deputy head of Russia’s security council.
Trump posted on social network Truth Social late on Thursday that „nobody was close to us in terms of strength, bravery, or military brilliance“ in both world wars, and that „we did more than any other country, by far, in producing a victorious result in World War II“.
But responding, Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman, said: „Trump recently announced that the US made the biggest contribution to victory in World War Two and that he will introduce a special holiday on May 8.
„A holiday is not a bad thing, but his first statement is pretentious nonsense.
„Our people sacrificed 27 million lives of their sons and daughters in the name of destroying accursed fascism. Therefore, Victory Day is ours and it is May 9! So it was, so it is, so it will always be!“
Russia celebrates Victory Day on 9 May, as Germany’s unconditional surrender entered into force at 23:01 on 8 May Central European summer time – the equivalent of 00:01 Moscow time.
The Ukrainian president says the meeting with his US counterpart, which took place on the sidelines of Pope Francis’s funeral last week, was the „best“ conversation the two men have ever had.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he and Donald Trump agreed a 30-day ceasefire between Kyiv and Moscow was the correct first step towards peace in the war with Ukraine.
He said he raised the topic of sanctions with Trump at the meeting, and that the response of the US president on this question was “very strong”.
But he did not give any further specifics.
He also said Ukraine and the US have a 3-3 member split on the minerals fund board.
Russia’s Defence Ministry says it shot down 170 Ukrainian drones overnight. It says eight cruise missiles and three guided missiles were also intercepted.
Meanwhile, as previously reported, Ukraine says it shot down 183 Russian drones.
The latest wave of attacks comes after the US and Ukraine on Wednesday signed an agreement granting American access to Ukraine’s vast mineral resources, finalising a deal that could enable continued military aid to Kyiv, amid concerns US President Donald Trump might scale back support during peace negotiations with Russia.
The mayor of the Russian port city of Novorossiysk has declared a state emergency this morning after he said a Ukrainian drone attack damaged residential buildings and injured five people, including two children.
Andrey Kravchenko said one of the injured, a woman, was in hospital in a serious condition.
There has been no immediate response from Ukraine.
Drones hit Ukraine last night, including the city of Kharkiv. It left around 46 people injured.
Welcome back to our coverage of the Ukraine war.
Overnight, Russia launched a mass drone attack in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, hitting a high-rise apartment block.
Fires have broken out and 46 people have been injured.
The mayor, Ihor Terekhov, wrote on Telegram that the strikes occurred in 12 locations in four central districts of the city.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in the aftermath: „There were no military targets, nor could there be any. Russia strikes dwellings when Ukrainians are in their homes, when they are putting their children to bed.“
He called for stronger air defence from the United States and Europe.
Beyond Kharkiv, Ukraine said Russia attacked overnight with 183 drones and two missiles. Ukraine said it shot down 77 of the drones, with another 73 falling without causing any damage.
Thank you for reading.
We will be back soon for more on the Ukraine war and the diplomatic talks seeking to end the conflict.
Ukraine’s internal security agency has accused Russian intelligence of trying to assassinate a prominent Ukrainian blogger.
The SBU claims a 45-year-old woman carried out the failed hit.
In a statement on Telegram, the SBU said the woman, who it did not name, had fired several shots with a pistol, one of which hit Serhii Sternenko in the leg.
The blogger said there was no danger to his life.
Sternenko is known for crowdfunding donations for military drones.
The woman does not contest the facts of the case, her lawyer said in court.
Russia’s FSB security service and its military intelligence agency did not immediately reply to requests for comment, Reuters reported.
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Ukraine war latest: Zelenskyy says meeting with Trump at Pope's funeral was 'best' conversation they've had – Sky News
