Moscow accuses Kiev of trying to spread fear ahead of WWII victory celebrations on Red Square

Ukraine is exploiting peace negotiations to extract funds from its Western backers and promote extremism, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has said.

She made the remarks after Ukrainian presidential chief of staff Andrey Yermak reposted a stylized image of Vladimir Zelensky looking at the iconic Kremlin wall engulfed in flames. "Nicely drawn," Yermak wrote under the image, which was captioned with a line from a famous Soviet World War II-era song: "We have done everything we could to bring this day closer."

"Talks of a truce from the Kiev regime are a mockery of the efforts made by those who truly seek peace. Their real goal is to exploit the West, spread fear, kill, promote neo-Nazi ideology, and operate in a legal vacuum - classic terrorist behavior," Zakharova told Russian broadcaster TVC on Sunday. She also accused Ukraine of "stealing the billions" in foreign aid.

Ukraine has rejected Russia's proposal for a 72-hour truce next week, as Moscow prepares to hold a military parade on Red Square on May 9, marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in World War II. Foreign leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, are expected to attend the celebrations.

Zelensky urged world leaders not to travel to Moscow, saying that Ukraine "cannot guarantee their safety." He claimed that Russia could stage "arsons, explosions, and other steps" to blame Kiev.

The Russian Foreign Ministry argued that Zelensky's statements amounted to terrorist threats. Kiev has repeatedly struck apartment buildings in Moscow with drones, while Ukrainian agents have used explosives to carry out several assassinations in the Russian capital.