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Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday (local time) stated that he presented a situational update on the Ukraine conflict to India, China, and the United States, paving the way for a three-day ceasefire with Kyiv, as Russia commemorates Victory Day, marking the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.
Speaking to the media after the Victory Day Parade here, Putin said the move was driven by humanitarian considerations and respect for the shared victory over Nazism, referring to the Allied Powers, which included the US in World War II. Putin highlighted that earlier, US President Donald Trump proposed a three-day ceasefire, which was supported by both Russia and Ukraine. However, he noted that in the lead-up to May 9, Kyiv continued to make provocative statements on the Russian Federation. The Russian President explained that Moscow engaged in extensive consultations with its major partners, including India, China, and the US, to highlight potential risks to diplomatic missions in Kyiv and broader escalation scenarios following Ukraine's remarks. "We started working with our major partners and friends, primarily with our friends from the People's Republic of China, India and some other nations, including with the US administration," the Russian President said. "We simply presented our friends, colleagues, and partners with a picture of what the situation could develop into. We have no desire to worsen or damage relations with anyone. Such a situation could arise given that all the command and decision-making centres in Kyiv are located in close proximity to the diplomatic missions of a number of countries - several dozen, in fact. That is precisely the issue. When we began this dialogue with the US administration, we drew their attention to this matter, outlined the potential consequences, and asked them to do everything necessary to ensure the security of their country's diplomatic mission," he added. Putin noted these engagements led to Trump proposing an additional two-day ceasefire along with a prisoner exchange, which Russia immediately agreed to. "As a result of all these discussions, US President Donald Trump proposed an additional two-day ceasefire and a prisoner exchange during that period. We immediately agreed to this proposal, particularly because, in my view, it was fully justified, motivated by respect for our shared victory over Nazism, and clearly humanitarian in nature," Putin stated. On Friday, US President Donald Trump announced a three-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, noting that the temporary truce coincides with Russia's Victory Day celebrations, commemorating the then-Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. Trump stated that the request for the temporary truce was made directly by him and noted that the agreement will also include a prisoner exchange involving 1,000 prisoners from each side. Putin further detailed that Russia initially submitted a prisoner exchange proposal to Ukraine on May 5, listing 500 Ukrainian servicemen held in Russia. Kyiv's response was slow and non-committal, he claimed, with only partial consideration of the proposal. Regarding the Victory Day Parade, he explained that this year it was conducted without a display of military hardware, not due to security concerns, but to allow Russian forces to focus on the "decisive defeat of the enemy" in Ukraine. Last month, the Russian Defence Ministry stated that the Victory Day Parade 2026 in Moscow will feature servicemen from Russia's military academies and aerial displays over Red Square. However, cadets and military hardware columns will not participate this year due to the current operational situation. (ANI)
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