President Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv will ask the United States for more details regarding a Russian proposal for a short-term ceasefire on May 9 [1].
The request comes as Ukraine evaluates whether the offer could establish a diplomatic path toward ending the war [2]. Because the proposal was directed toward U.S. President Donald Trump, Zelensky is utilizing American channels to verify the terms [3].
Zelensky instructed Ukrainian negotiators in Washington to contact the Trump team to obtain specific information about the offer [4]. The proposed ceasefire coincides with Russia's annual World War II commemorations [1].
"We will seek clarification from the United States about the Russian ceasefire proposal for May 9," Zelensky said [5].
In a separate communication, Zelensky said, "I am seeking details of a short‑term ceasefire Russia proposed to U.S. President Donald Trump" [6].
While some reports describe the offer as a proposal for "silence" on the date, other sources identify it as a formal ceasefire [7]. The Ukrainian leadership is seeking to determine the exact nature of this pause in hostilities to evaluate its viability.
These diplomatic inquiries occur amid ongoing violence. One person died in the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro during overnight Russian attacks [8]. Additionally, dozens of people were wounded in the southern port city of Odesa during the same series of strikes [9].
Kyiv continues to balance the pursuit of diplomatic openings with the reality of daily military engagements. The decision to engage the U.S. as an intermediary highlights the central role of Washington in any potential negotiation between Kyiv and Moscow.
“"We will seek clarification from the United States about the Russian ceasefire proposal for May 9,"”
This move indicates that Ukraine is open to exploring diplomatic windows, even short-term ones, provided they are verified through trusted allies. By involving the U.S. administration, Zelensky is ensuring that any potential ceasefire is not a unilateral Russian tactical ruse but a coordinated diplomatic effort. The timing around May 9 suggests Russia may be using its domestic victory celebrations as a lever for international signaling.
