Ukraine war latest: Zelensky rejects Putin's 3-day ceasefire proposal as 'theatrical'; US sanctions depend on whether Russia is 'behaving' on peace deal, Trump says
Key developments on May 3-4:
Zelensky rejects Putin's truce proposal as 'theatrical,' backs 30-day ceasefire plan from US
US sanctions depend on whether Russia is 'behaving' on peace deal, Trump says
US to send refurbished Patriot air defense system from Israel to Ukraine, NYT reports
Ukrainian sea drones down 2 Russian Su-30 jets near Novorossiysk, military intelligence chief says
Russian drone attack on Kyiv injures 11 people, including 2 children, damages shopping mall
Czech initiative to deliver up to 1.8 million shells to Ukraine in 2025, Pavel says
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed Russian President Vladimir Putin's proposal for a three-day ceasefire from May 7–9 as a "theatrical performance" designed to ease Russia's international isolation and create a favorable atmosphere for the Victory Day celebrations in Moscow, Interfax Ukraine reported on May 3.
Speaking to journalists in a closed-door session, Zelensky reportedly said the proposal was not a serious attempt to end the war and reiterated Ukraine's support for a U.S.-backed strategy calling for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire.
Zelensky warned that Moscow's history of violating short-term truces undermines any trust in its latest offer.
"They kill until the 7th, pause for a couple of comfortable days, then start attacking again on the 11th," he said.
Putin's announcement, presented as a "humanitarian truce" from midnight May 8 to midnight May 11, came as the Kremlin continues to reject Ukraine's calls for a complete cessation of hostilities. More than 50 days ago Ukraine has accepted the U.S.-proposed 30-day ceasefire, but Moscow rejected it, demanding a complete halt on military aid to Ukraine.
"An unconditional ceasefire is a model that the Americans have proposed. We are following it. From this date or another date, preferably earlier," Zelensky said. "Yes, let's try 30 days. Why a 30-day ceasefire? Because it is impossible to agree on anything in three, five, seven days."
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He suggested Putin's initiative was a gesture intended to simulate goodwill in response to peace signals reportedly delivered by Trump's Special Envoy Steve Witkoff.
"This is more of a theatrical performance on his part. Because it is impossible to build any plan for the next steps to end the war in two or three days,' Zelensky added.
The Ukrainian president said Kyiv is willing to begin the 30-day truce at any time — "the 1st, 3rd, 5th, or if he needs the 7th — fine, then from the 7th for 30 days." He emphasized, however, that without proper monitoring, any temporary pause risks being exploited by Russia.
Zelensky said Ukraine had shared its position with the U.S., U.K., and France, and that Washington understood Russia's proposal was unserious. "At least the official position of the White House is that they see this as just games on his part," Zelensky said.
The Victory Day ceasefire is the latest in a series of truce initiatives announced by Moscow, which it has itself repeatedly violated.
Earlier this month, Russia declared a ceasefire over the Easter holiday, though Zelensky accused Moscow of nearly 3,000 violations between April 19 and April 21. Ukraine has also said that Russian forces repeatedly breached a partial truce on attacks against energy facilities brokered on March 25.
Russia has repeatedly proclaimed its supposed readiness for peace talks while simultaneously pushing for maximalist demands. Kyiv has dismissed these declarations as a propaganda stunt, noting that Russian forces have only intensified their attacks on Ukrainian cities and towns.
Read also: Witkoff's negotiation approach with Putin sparks concern in White House, NYP reports
Trump said in a wide-ranging interview with NBC News on May 4 that the U.S. may consider implementing additional sanctions against Russia if it does not reach a peace deal with Ukraine to end the war.
When asked if Trump would sign a sanctions bill touted by close Republican ally Senator Lindsey Graham, Trump said that "it depends on whether or not Russia is behaving toward coming to a peace."
"We want a peace deal. We want Russia and Ukraine to agree to a deal. We think we're fairly close, and we're going to save a lot of people from being killed," Trump continued.
At least 72 U.S. senators are prepared to vote for "bone-crushing" sanctions against Russia and massive tariffs on countries supporting Moscow, Graham told reporters on May 1.
When asked if Trump believes the parties are close to establishing a peace deal, Trump was not definitive in his response.
"I do believe we're closer with one party, and maybe not as close with the other. But we'll have to see. I'd like to not say which one we're closer to," Trump said, adding that he was pleased with the outcome of the minerals deal signed with Ukraine on May 1.
Trump has reportedly grown frustrated with the slow progression of peace negotiations, claiming on April 26 that Putin may be "tapping me along," and that Putin may not be interested in ending the war.
When asked by NBC News whether Trump "misread" Putin's intentions to settle the war, Trump responded: "I have no idea."
"No, I'll tell you about in a month from now, or two weeks from now," Trump said. "I can tell you this, he's — his ambition was stopped to a large extent when he saw that it was me that was now leading the charge."
Frustrated by the lack of progress, Trump has reportedly been wavering over his commitment to continue to serve as a mediator between Ukraine and Russia. When asked about his commitment to see a peace deal being achieved, Trump said he " hope(s) it gets done."
"Well, there will be a time when I will say, 'Okay, keep going. Keep being stupid and keep fighting,'" Trump told NBC News. "Sometimes I get close to it, and then positive things happen."
Read also: Putin 'constantly' considers successors, has list of candidates, Russian leader says in documentary
A Patriot air defense system based in Israel will be transferred to Ukraine after refurbishment, the New York Times reported on May 4, citing four unnamed current and former U.S. officials.
According to the publication, Western allies are also discussing the logistics of supplying additional systems from Germany or Greece as Russia escalates its attacks across Ukraine.
The sources declined to go into detail about Trump's stance on the decision or clarify whether the move was initiated before he took office, during former President Joe Biden's administration.
The move comes amid a sharp increase in Russian strikes that have caused numerous casualties in Kryvyi Rih, Sumy, Odesa, Kharkiv, and Kyiv.
Kyiv has consistently pressed Western partners to bolster Ukraine's air defenses, warning that its current capabilities are insufficient to counter the scale of Russian missile and drone assaults.
The Patriot system, a U.S.-made surface-to-air missile platform, is widely recognized for its high-precision detection, tracking, and interception of aircraft, cruise, and ballistic missiles.
According to the New York Times, Ukraine currently has eight Patriot systems, of which only six are operational. The remaining two are reportedly undergoing refurbishment.
Zelensky reiterated Ukraine's urgent need for air defenses in an April 13 interview with CBS News, saying Kyiv is ready to purchase 10 U.S.-made Patriot systems for $15 billion to shield densely populated cities.
"We will find the money and pay for everything," Zelensky said, emphasizing Ukraine's intention to buy, not request, additional systems.
Despite Kyiv's appeals, Trump dismissed the request on April 14, accusing Zelensky of "always looking to purchase missiles" and falsely blaming Ukraine for instigating the war.
Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR) shot down two Russian Su-30 fighter jets using air-to-air missiles fired from Magura-7 sea drones near Novorossiysk on May 2, HUR chief Kyrylo Budanov told the War Zone on May 3.
The operation marks the first time in history that fighter jets have been downed by unmanned boats. Initially, reports confirmed the destruction of only one jet, but Budanov later clarified that two aircraft were hit.
"It's a historical moment," he told the publication.
According to HUR, Group 13, a special operations unit within the agency, executed the strike. A video of the first downed Su-30 was released and widely shared on social media, though no visual evidence of the second strike has emerged.
Budanov said the crew of the first jet survived and was rescued by a civilian vessel, while the second crew is believed to have been killed.
The Sukhoi Su-30 is a $50 million twin-engine, two-seat multirole fighter designed by Russia's Sukhoi Design Bureau. HUR claimed that the aircraft were hit midair and crashed into the Black Sea.
The Kyiv Independent can't independently verify all the claims.
The Magura-7 drone, deployed in this operation, is an air defense type of the Magura-5, which previously downed two Russian Mi-8 helicopters on Dec. 31.
Ukraine has repeatedly used maritime drones to inflict heavy losses on Russian assets in the Black Sea. The Magura drones sank the Russian patrol ship Sergey Kotov on March 5, 2024, and the landing ship Caesar Kunikov on Feb. 14, 2024.
Read also: Ukrainian sea drone downs Russian fighter jet in 'world-first' strike, intelligence says
A wave of explosions was heard in Kyiv overnight on May 4 as Russia launched a drone attack against the capital, according to local authorities.
At least 11 people were injured in the attack, including two children aged 14 and 17, Kyiv City Military Administration head Tymur Tkachenko said via his official Telegram channel.
Debris from the drones damaged several houses and vehicles in various parts of the city, including the Shevchenkivskyi, Obolonskyi, and Svyatoshynskyi districts. In the Obolonskyi district, the Dream Town shopping mall was damaged, and at least seven cars and the top floors of a high-rise caught fire.
Russia stepped up its attacks against Ukrainian civilians in the past weeks, resulting in numerous casualties reported in Kryvyi Rih, Sumy, Odesa, Kharkiv, and Kyiv.
Read also: 'I just hate the Russians' — Kyiv district recovers from drone strike as ceasefire remains elusive
The Czech ammunition initiative will deliver up to 1.8 million artillery shells to Ukraine by the end of 2025, Czech President Petr Pavel said on May 4, according to a Kyiv Independent journalist on the ground.
The announcement represents an additional 300,000 shells committed to Kyiv over what was announced by Prague earlier this year. Czech Defense Minister Jana Cernochova previously said that the country supplied 1.5 million rounds of various calibers in 2024 and had enough funds to continue at the same pace until this fall.
The initiative, backed by contributions from Canada, Norway, the Netherlands, Denmark, and other countries, has significantly boosted Ukraine's artillery, improving the shell ratio from 1-to-10 in Russia's favor to 1-to-2, Pavel said.
The initiative was launched last year amid Ukrainian shell shortages, primarily caused by delays in U.S. military aid in early 2024. On April 27, Ukraine received 400,000 high-caliber rounds through the initiative.
Pavel said that Prague intends to deliver additional shells next year but that decisions depends on the results of this year's parliamentary elections.
Czechia's leading opposition party, ANO, said in January that it aims to suspend the initiative if it wins the parliamentary elections in October 2025.
Zelensky, who in the Czech Republic on May 4 for an official visit, is slated to meet with Czechia opposition members on May 5 in an attempt to bridge relations, according to a Kyiv Independent journalist present at the official visit.
Today's visit to Prague marks Zelensky's first visit to the country since July 2023. In additional to additional shell production, the two leaders are also set to speak on additional areas of cooperation to support Kyiv's fleet of F-16 fighter jets.
Czech Health Minister Vlastimil Valek also announced the Czechia and Ukraine will also sign a memorandum on mental health cooperation that will include human resources in experience-sharing as well as an undisclosed investment to support mental health assistance for Ukraine.
Prague has been a strong supporter of Ukraine, supplying military aid, leading EU efforts to secure weapons, and hosting hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian refugees.
Read also: Zelensky arrives in Czech Republic to discuss artillery, F-16 supportWe've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
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