President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia said on Monday that he had ordered a three-day cease-fire in Ukraine next month as a good-will gesture.
Mr. Putin said in a statement posted on the Kremlin’s website that Russian forces would stop fighting on May 8 for 72 hours for “humanitarian reasons.” There was no immediate comment from Ukraine about the announcement.
It came just days after President Trump urged the Russian leader, in a social media post, to “STOP!” bombarding Ukraine amid U.S.-backed efforts to broker a truce.
Russia has refused to abide by a 30-day unconditional cease-fire that Ukraine previously agreed to at the urging of the Trump administration. A one-day truce announced by Mr. Putin to mark Easter did not hold, with both sides accusing the other of continuing to fight.
