Zelensky says 'ceasefire possible any moment'

PRAGUE/MOSCOW — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday that a ceasefire with Russia in its more than three-year-old fighting was possible at any moment and called on Kyiv's allies to apply greater pressure on Moscow to put the measure in place.

Zelensky, at a joint news conference in Prague alongside Czech Republic's President Petr Pavel, also called its allies to increase pressure on Moscow.

"We believe that a ceasefire is possible at any moment, even starting today, and should last at least 30 days to give diplomacy a real chance."

Putin last week declared a three-day ceasefire over May 8-10 to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Soviet Union and its allies over Nazi Germany in World War II.

Zelensky said such a measure is pointless and called instead for an unconditional ceasefire over at least 30 days in line with a US proposal launched in March.

The Czech government has been a strong backer of Kyiv since Russia started its military operation in Ukraine in 2022, and has led an initiative to supply Ukraine with large-caliber ammunition.

US President Donald Trump said on Sunday he and his advisers have had some good discussions about Russia and Ukraine in recent days, without elaborating.

Speaking to reporters as he returned to the White House after a weekend in Florida, Trump was asked whether he planned to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Saudi Arabia when he travels there later this month.

He said he had not thought about this but "we've had some very good discussions" about Russia and Ukraine in recent days.

The Kremlin on Monday said that a meeting was necessary but that Putin had no trips to the Middle East planned for mid-May.

Putin has said the need to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine has not arisen and that he hopes it will not.

In comments aired on Sunday in a film by Russian state television, Putin said Russia has the strength and the means to bring the conflict in Ukraine to a "logical conclusion".

Responding to a question about Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory, Putin said: "There has been no need to use those (nuclear) weapons."

Putin said that reconciliation with Ukraine was "inevitable".

On the battlefield, both sides claimed advances.

Ukraine's air defense units shot down 42 of 116 drones launched by Russia in an overnight attack that hit the regions of Sumy and Donetsk, the military said on Monday.

Russia's air defense systems destroyed 26 Ukrainian drones overnight, TASS news agency reported on Monday, citing Russia's defense ministry data.

Agencies via Xinhua