Zelensky says Ukraine will begin ceasefire tomorrow night

By Reuters and ToI Staff 4 May 2026, 11:03 pm

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Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky attends a press conference in Rome, April 15, 2026. (AP/ Alessandra Tarantino)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says Ukraine will observe a ceasefire beginning at midnight between tomorrow and Wednesday.

Zelensky, writing on Telegram, says Russia has not responded to Kyiv’s calls for a ceasefire and that Ukraine is proceeding because it believed that “human life is incomparably more valuable than the ‘celebration’ of any anniversary.” Russia has said it will observe a ceasefire on May 8-9 to allow celebration of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.

“In this regard, we announce a regime of silence starting from [midnight] on the night of May 5 to May 6,” Zelensky writes.

Zelensky gives no timeframe for the ceasefire but says Ukraine will “act symmetrically from the specified moment.”