Ukraine latest: Zelensky says Putin could call ceasefire ‘even today’ if he wanted to

In a sharp rebuke, Slovak prime minister Robert Fico criticised Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky for cautioning foreign leaders against attending Russia’s Victory Day parade in Moscow on 9 May.

On Saturday, Mr Zelensky warned that Ukraine could not guarantee the safety of foreign officials attending the parade, citing the risk of Russian-orchestrated provocations such as “arsons, explosions, or other actions” designed to pin blame on Ukraine.

He emphasised that Russia bears sole responsibility for ensuring security within its borders.

Mr Fico dismissed Mr Zelensky’s warning as an attempt to intimidate foreign delegations into boycotting the event.

“I reject such threats for security reasons,” Mr Fico said.

“While I respect that participant safety is Russia’s internal matter, if Mr Zelensky thinks his words will deter foreign leaders from attending, he is gravely mistaken.”

Marking the 80th anniversary of World War II’s end, Mr Fico called for an “armistice” and urged Mr Zelensky to “remain silent” on the issue, framing the Ukrainian leader’s remarks as divisive.

Russia also attacked Ukraine with two ballistic missiles overnight, which were not shot down, the Ukrainian military has said.

Of the 116 drones fired by Russia, it said Ukraine’s air defence units shot down 42, while another 21 drones were lost. However, it did not disclose the fate of the remaining 53.

An overnight Russian drone attack hit the regions of Sumy and Donetsk, Ukraine’s military has said.

It noted on Monday that Sumy and Donetsk “suffered as a result of the attack”.

Ukraine’s air defence units shot down 42 of 116 drones launched by Russia in an overnight attack, its air force said this morning.

It said 21 drones were lost – in reference to the Ukrainian military using electronic warfare to redirect them – or they were drone simulators that did not carry warheads.

Czech president Petr Pavel has backed Ukraine and said Russian president Vladimir Putin is yet to show any signs of wanting to end the war in Ukraine.

“If someone has all the cards in their hand to end the war then it is president Putin, who can do it with a single decision,” he told reporters. “But so far the will has not appeared,” he said.

Volodymyr Zelensky, who is accompanied on the trip by first lady Olena Zelenska, meets Czech prime minister Petr Fiala today, with a plan for Ukraine to receive large volumes of Czech ammunition among the topics on the agenda.

The Ukrainian leader said on X on Saturday that he was preparing for upcoming foreign policy meetings focused on helping push Russia into a ceasefire.

The US is sending a fresh round of military aid to Ukraine, including a refurbished Patriot air defence system used in Israel, according to US officials.

Another Patriot missile system from Germany or Greece is also likely to follow with its logistics being discussed, four current and former US officials told the New York Times.

The Times said sources declined to comment on whether the decision came from US president Donald Trump, who has previously been hesitant of helping the war-hit nation.

A White House official declined to share any details. “President Trump has been clear: he wants the war in Ukraine to end and the killing to stop,” said James Hewitt, a spokesperson for the White House’s National Security Council.

Mr Xi was already among the leaders set to attend the Victory Day Parade in Moscow on May 9.

The Kremlin said Mr Xi was visiting at the invitation of Russian president Vladimir Putin and, as well as taking part in Victory Day celebrations, the leaders would discuss “further development of relations of comprehensive partnership and strategic interaction” and “issues on the international and regional agenda”.

Mr Putin and Mr Xi will sign a number of bilateral documents, it said.

Russia’s air defence systems destroyed 26 Ukrainian drones overnight, Tass news agency reported today citing Russia’s defence ministry data.

Of these, 17 drones were downed over Bryansk region near the Russia-Ukraine border, five over the Kaluga region and four over Moscow region, the defence ministry said on its Telegram channel.

Ukraine is hoping to receive at least three million shells from its international supporters, Volodymyr Zelensky said during talks in Prague yesterday.

“Russia should know that we are expecting three million artillery shells from our allies. Not only North Korea is capable of helping in the war, we have allies who are helping Ukraine,” Mr Zelensky said.

Of the total three million shells, a Czech ammunition initiative will deliver up to 1.8 million artillery shells to Ukraine by the end of 2025, the country’s president Petr Pavel said on the first day of the Ukrainian president’s visit.

The Czech government has been a strong backer of Kyiv since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, and has led an initiative to supply Ukraine with large-calibre ammunition.

Mr Pavel said in February that Ukraine had received 1.6 million rounds of large-calibre ammunition in the past year.