RUSSIAN forces will observe a unilateral 72-hour ceasefire in Ukraine next week to mark Victory Day in World War II, President Vladimir Putin said today, as the US presses for a deal to end the three-year-old war.

The Kremlin said that the truce, ordered on “humanitarian grounds,” would run from the start of May 8 until the end of May 10.

Ukraine, which has previously agreed to US President Donald Trump's proposal of a full 30-day ceasefire, dismissed Mr Putin's announcement, with Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha saying: “If Russia truly wants peace, it must cease fire immediately.”