Russian President Vladimir Putin stated on May 10, 2025, that the war in Ukraine is "heading to an end," even as both sides accused each other of violating a US-brokered three-day ceasefire that began the same day. The announcement followed a scaled-down Victory Day military parade in Moscow, where Putin claimed Russian forces were confronting an "aggressive force" backed by all of NATO, and described his war aims as "just." The parade featured no military hardware for the first time in nearly two decades and included soldiers from North Korea, while foreign attendance was limited to leaders of Belarus, Malaysia, Laos, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan. Ukrainian long-range attacks in recent weeks had prompted the Kremlin to reduce the scale of the event and tighten security.
US President Donald Trump announced the ceasefire on May 9, stating it would be accompanied by a prisoner exchange of 1,000 captives from each side. Despite the truce, drone activity continued and civilian casualties were reported on both sides, with Moscow and Kyiv accusing each other of breaches. Trump posted on Truth Social that the ceasefire could mark "the beginning of the end of a very long, deadly, and hard fought War." Putin, speaking after the parade, said he would only meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a third country once all conditions for peace were settled, calling such a meeting "the final point, not the negotiations themselves." He added that Russia had not yet received any proposals from Ukraine regarding the prisoner swap. The Kremlin confirmed there were no plans to extend the ceasefire beyond the initial three days.
Putin claims the war is nearing its end while continuing to frame it as a battle against NATO, even as ceasefire violations persist and no extension is planned. His insistence on preconditions for talks with Zelensky contradicts the urgency such a declaration would imply. The limited international attendance at the parade reflects shrinking diplomatic support, not a war winding down.
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