President Volodymyr Zelensky said Wednesday that Russia’s main Victory Day parade now “depends on us” after Moscow rejected Ukraine’s ceasefire proposal and continued attacks across multiple regions.
In his nightly address on Wednesday, Zelensky said Russia had received a “clear proposal” from Kyiv for a halt in fighting and a transition to diplomacy but responded only with intensified military activity.
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“Russia has fought to the point where even their main parade already depends on us,” Zelensky said. “And this is a clear signal: It is time to end this.”
The remarks came amid competing ceasefire proposals ahead of Russia’s May 9 Victory Day celebrations in Moscow.
The Kremlin had earlier proposed a limited truce for May 8-9, officially to mark the anniversary events. Zelensky dismissed the initiative as “cynical” and described it as a “theatrical performance” designed primarily to secure the parade and protect Moscow from possible Ukrainian strikes.
Instead, Kyiv proposed what Zelensky called a unilateral “regime of silence” beginning May 6 as a test of Russia’s willingness to pursue a genuine ceasefire.
According to Zelensky, Russia ignored the offer within hours. He said Ukrainian officials recorded more than 1,800 strikes and attacks across several regions, including Donetsk, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Sumy, Chernihiv, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.
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