Ukraine President Volodimir Zelenski said on Tuesday that progress in resolving the three -year war with Russia depends on whether Russia will take the first step, that is, it will agree on an unconditional ceasefire.

In his nightly video speech, Zelenski reiterated that Ukraine insisted on observing Russia an unconditional ceasefire.

“They need to take clear steps towards ending the war and we insist that an unconditional and complete ceasefire should be the first step,” Zelenski said. “Russia must do that.”

At the same time, he said Ukraine is preparing for more talks with the United States with the aim of pushing Moscow to participate in talks. “We choose those points of pressure on Russia that will lead Moscow to diplomacy,” he said.

Zelenski criticized Vladimir Putin’s announcement on Monday to keep a three -day truce from May 8th to 10th, which would coincide with Soviet victory celebrations over Nazi Germany, saying there was no reason to wait until May 8.

Kremlin spokeswoman Dmitry Peskov said earlier on Tuesday that Ukraine had not responded to Putin’s proposals for starting immediate peace talks and that it was not clear whether he would participate in the three -day truce.