Putin announces 2-day ceasefire in Ukraine

War in UkrainePutin announces 2-day ceasefire in UkraineThe ceasefire would run Friday and Saturday, according to a statement from the Russian Defense Ministry.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00The aftermath of a Russian drone attack on Odesa, Ukraine, on Sunday.Nina Liashonok / Cover Images / APShareAdd NBC News to GoogleMay 4, 2026, 5:09 PM EDTBy F. Brinley BrutonRussian ⁠President ​Vladimir Putin on Monday announced a two-day ⁠ceasefire in ‌the ‌war with Ukraine to observe the anniversary ⁠of the ‌defeat ⁠of Nazi Germany in World War ‌II.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.The ceasefire would run Friday and Saturday, according to a statement from the Russian Defense Ministry.While temporary ceasefires are not unheard of in the conflict, which started when Russia launched a large-scale invasion of the country in 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy did not immediately confirm they would abide by one. 00:23Russian drone shot down over eastern Ukraine00:0000:00Speaking in Yerevan, Armenia, he said that while United States and Russian officials had spoken about a ceasefire, the idea had not been officially proposed to Ukrainian officials. "This is Russia’s war against Ukraine. If America and Russia are negotiating, it is important that our side knows what they are talking about," Zelenskyy said. A statement attributed to the Russian Defense Ministry threatened Ukraine and foreign diplomats if the ceasefire wasn’t respected by Kyiv. Ukrainian authorities have accused Russia of violating previous ceasefires. The general staff of the Ukrainian armed forces said that Russia broke an Easter ceasefire with shelling last month, and the Russian Defense Ministry accused Ukrainian forces of doing the same. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry also said last year that Russia attacked Ukrainian energy facilities during a ceasefire. In the event that Ukrainian forces violated the truce, the Russi...