Kyiv, Ukraine - Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday branded a three-day truce announced by his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin as an "attempt at manipulation".

"Now there's a new attempt at manipulation: for some reason, everyone has to wait until May 8," Zelensky said in his daily address.

Putin on Monday ordered the ceasefire on May 8-10, which coincides with Moscow's World War II commemorations, drawing ire from Kyiv, which demanded Moscow pause hostilities immediately.

Ukraine said that it wanted an immediate truce with Russia for "at least 30 days".

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"If Russia truly wants peace, it must cease fire immediately. Why wait until May 8th?" Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga wrote on X.

The US has warned that this week would be "critical" for determining whether peace was possible.

The US State Department said Monday that Secretary of State Marco Rubio told his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, that the United States is committed to working to end the war in Ukraine.

"The United States is serious about facilitating an end to this senseless war," State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said in a readout of Sunday's call, which was already announced by Russia.

She said Rubio spoke to Lavrov about "the next steps in Russia-Ukraine peace talks and the need to end the war now."