Putin declares 3-day ceasefire in Ukraine for next month

President Vladimir Putin of Russia said on Monday that he had ordered a three-day ceasefire in Ukraine next month as a goodwill gesture.

Putin said in a statement posted on the Kremlin’s website that Russian forces would stop fighting May 8 for 72 hours for “humanitarian reasons.” There was no immediate comment from Ukraine about the announcement.

It came just days after President Donald Trump urged the Russian leader, in a social media post, to “STOP!” bombarding Ukraine amid U.S.-backed efforts to broker a truce.

Russia has refused to abide by a 30-day unconditional ceasefire that Ukraine previously agreed to at the urging of the Trump administration. A one-day truce announced by Putin to mark Easter did not hold, with both sides accusing the other of continuing to fight.