The Kremlin wants a “definitive” response from Ukraine over its three-day ceasefire offer. Meanwhile, Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he and Donald Trump agreed a 30-day truce between Kyiv and Moscow was the correct first step. Listen to the latest episode of The World podcast as you scroll.
Saturday 3 May 2025 22:14, UK
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that Ukraine is preparing “sanctions packages” targeting “entities and schemes in third countries” that help Russia evade some of the sanctions.
In a briefing today, he also said that Ukraine was ready to move toward a ceasefire “as soon as possible”, if Russia was ready to take reciprocal steps to establish a lasting ceasefire of at least 30 days. 
“We are preparing our sanctions packages – particularly targeting entities and schemes in third countries that, unfortunately, help Russia evade some of the sanctions,” he said.
“At the same time, we continue to strengthen our defence: we expect significant defence packages for Ukraine soon, along with decisions on further cooperation – cooperation with key countries during the war and in the post-war period.”
Rehearsals are under way in Moscow for Russia’s Victory Day parade on 8 May. 
Earlier, the Kremlin said it wanted what it called a “definitive” response from Ukraine to Vladimir Putin’s offer of a three-day ceasefire to coincide with Second World War victory commemorations.
But Volodymyr Zelenskyy already appears to have ruled out such a ceasefire, saying he is only ready to agree if it will last at least 30 days.
Putin on Monday declared the three-day ceasefire to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Soviet Union and its allies during the Second World War.
He will host international leaders including Chinese President Xi Jinping for the celebrations.
Russia has said forces are continuing to create a “security strip” in border areas of Ukraine’s Sumy region after driving Ukrainian troops out of the Kursk region.
Vladimir Putin said in March that Russia should look to create a buffer zone in the Sumy region to guard against any future potential Ukrainian incursions.
“Units of the North group of forces have completed the rout of Ukrainian Armed Forces formations in the Kursk region,” the Russian defence ministry said in a statement.
“The creation of a ‘security strip’ in the border areas of Ukraine’s Sumy region continues.”
Ukraine says its forces still have a foothold in Kursk, where it staged an offensive in August, but that it is concerned about a possible Russian advance into Sumy.
As we have been reporting today, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he and Donald Trump had the “best” conversation they had ever had when they met on the sidelines of the Pope’s funeral.
On the critical minerals deal, Zelenskyy also said the deal signed by the two countries was mutually beneficial, and that it would allow Ukraine to defend future US investments, as well as its own territory and people.
Here is a look at what else has been happening: 
Earlier today, the mayor of the Russian port city of Novorossiysk declared a state emergency after he said a Ukrainian drone attack damaged residential buildings and injured five people, including two children (see post at 8.39am).
Andrey Kravchenko said one of the injured, a woman, was in hospital in a serious condition. 
Now, footage shows the moment the drone hit the Russian building…
We brought you comments earlier from Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who said the meeting with Donald Trump, which took place on the sidelines of Pope Francis’s funeral last week, was the “best” conversation the two men have ever had (see post at 9.47am). 
In comments released by his presidential administration, Zelenskyy also said he and the US president agreed that a 30-day ceasefire between Kyiv and Moscow was the correct first step towards ending the war in Ukraine.
We can now bring you more comments from the Ukrainian leader.
On the critical minerals deal, Zelenskyy said the deal signed by the two countries on Wednesday was mutually beneficial, and that it would allow Ukraine to defend future US investments, as well as its own territory and people.
The accord, heavily touted by Trump, will give the US preferential access to new Ukrainian minerals deals and unleash US investment in Ukraine’s reconstruction.
Zelenskyy said that the money would, at least initially, be reinvested and not leave Ukraine.
“Only if the parties then, in the future, agree that in 20 years the fund is fine, things are being built, there is production,” he said.
On the security element of the deal, Zelenskyy highlighted the importance of more effective air defences that have remained one of Kyiv’s main requests to its allies throughout the war. 
“And so we are ready for air defence systems to be a contribution (to the fund). I told him about the number (of systems that we need) – he told me that they will work on it, (that) these things are not free.”

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has congratulated Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on his election win and said he looks forward to “further strengthening” partnership with the country.
Here is what the Ukrainian leader has said…
Albanese claimed a historic second term as prime minister today.
He had been trailing in polls to the conservative Liberal-National coalition as recently as February, but then bounced back as voters grew increasingly alarmed by Trump’s tariff threats and sought safe ground.
We have been bringing you reports today on Russia’s mass drone attack in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, which hit a high-rise apartment block yesterday.
The mayor, Ihor Terekhov, wrote on Telegram that the strikes occurred in 12 locations in four central districts of the city. 
Here are some of the images emerging from the region today…
Ukraine destroyed a Russian fighter jet using a missile fired from a seaborne drone, Ukraine’s GUR military intelligence agency reports this afternoon, in what it says is the world’s first downing of a combat plane by a maritime drone
Its statement on social media says the fighter had been shot down by a military intelligence unit yesterday over waters near Novorossiisk, a major Russian port city on the Black Sea.
The mayor of Novorossiisk declared a state of emergency today after local authorities said a Ukrainian drone attack had damaged a grain terminal and several residential buildings, injuring five people.
It should be noted here that Ukraine has turned to drone warfare in the air and at sea as a way to fight back throughout the war.
And Ukraine’s seaborne drones have also wrought havoc on Russia’s Black Sea fleet.
The Ukrainian army will take part in the UK’s military procession marking the 80th anniversary of VE Day.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said Ukrainian troops will join around 1,000 UK service personnel from the Royal Navy, the Royal Marines, the British Army and the Royal Air Force in London on Monday.
This joining together will symbolise the global support for Ukraine’s “continued fight for freedom against Russia’s unprovoked, illegal invasion”, the MoD said.
Victory in Europe Day, known as VE Day, is celebrated on 8 May each year to mark the day the Allies formally accepted Germany’s surrender in 1945.
The representatives of the Ukrainian armed forces taking part in Monday’s procession will comprise of those deployed to the UK on Operation Interflex – the UK armed forces’ training programme for Ukrainian recruits, delivered with 12 partner nations.
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