Putin proposed a ceasefire for May 9 - Victory Day. Symbolic, one-day pause. He floated the idea during a 90-minute call with Trump. Ukraine answered with a single question: why not now?

Andriy Sybiha, Ukraine's foreign minister: "Why not now? Why wait until May 8? If Russia really wants peace, it has to stop the fire immediately." Kyiv is demanding a 30-day ceasefire, not a symbolic break for parade purposes.

There is something much more interesting here than the symbolism. According to Western intelligence sources, this year's May 9 parade will go ahead without heavy equipment - no tanks, no artillery, no armoured vehicles. The first time since 1945. Why? Because of losses. All those machines are on the Ukrainian front - or destroyed.

Russian military losses, according to Western estimates, are over 1.2 million. Last year 29 foreign leaders attended the parade. This year the guest list still has not been published. A bad sign.

Putin has a clear strategy: propose a symbolic ceasefire to look peaceful, while simultaneously pushing Kyiv into the role of the "difficult side". It is the oldest diplomatic playbook - offer peace when you are weak, so that defeat looks like partnership in compromise. The same school the Balkans has been exposed to several times in the past.

Will Zelensky give in? Not yet. But he is under pressure from Trump - "Ukraine has been defeated militarily", the US president is already claiming. When Washington and Moscow speak the same language, Kyiv stands alone. And the question hanging over this May 9 is whether Victory Day will be Putin's victory - not on the battlefield, but in diplomacy. That would be the first time in years.