A Russian official denied reports that President Vladimir Putin would formally declare war on Ukraine as part of his country's May 9 Victory Day celebrations commemorating Nazi Germany's surrender in 1945.

Putin launched the invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24 but has maintained that Russian forces are engaged in a "special military operation" aimed at "denazification" of the former Soviet Union country.

Last week, British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace stated that Putin is "going to have to admit, if he wants to mobilize more of the Russian people, that it is a war" and that the president will do so by May 9.

"No. This topic has already been addressed "According to The Washington Post, Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov stated when asked if a Victory Day statement was imminent.

"No, this is nonsense."

In Russia, Victory Day is marked by nationalistic parades and other pomp. According to Ukraine's General Staff's March 24 Facebook post, Russian service members were told that the fighting must cease by then.

Pope Francis told Corriere Della Sera last month that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban informed him that "the Russians have a plan, that everything [in Ukraine] will be over on May 9,"

Ned Price, the State Department's spokesperson, was asked Monday whether he expected Putin to declare war on May 9.

"We are not going to preview what the Russians may seek to do on the so-called Victory Day on May 9th," Price stated during a news briefing.

"I suppose I would add that that would be a great irony if Moscow used the occasion of Victory Day to declare war, which in itself would allow them to surge conscripts in a way they're not able to do now, in a way that would be tantamount to revealing to the world that their war effort is failing, that they are floundering in their military campaign and military objectives."

Peskov also criticized Ukraine for the deadlock in peace efforts.

"They change their position every day," Peskov told the Post. "This does not inspire confidence that this negotiation process can somehow end successfully."