Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced a temporary halt to military operations in Ukraine, citing an “Easter truce” intended to last until 22:00 BST on Sunday, midnight Moscow time.
He emphasized that Russian forces must remain vigilant and ready to respond to any breaches during the 30-hour ceasefire.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky responded by stating that Kyiv would comply with the ceasefire but accused Moscow of not honouring it.
“If Russia is now suddenly ready to truly engage in a format of full and unconditional silence, Ukraine will act accordingly – mirroring Russia’s actions,” Zelensky stated.
He reiterated that Ukrainian military actions would be proportional and reaffirmed their commitment to a longer ceasefire proposal already on the table.
“Our actions are and will be symmetrical. The proposal for a full and unconditional 30-day silence remains on the table — the answer to it must come from Moscow,” he posted on X.
While he noted that fighting persists in Russia’s Kursk and Belgorod regions and drone activity continues, he also acknowledged that some regions have seen a decline in hostilities.
Zelensky indicated that Ukraine is open to extending the truce beyond April 20, in line with an earlier US-led ceasefire initiative.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha remained skeptical, voicing doubt over Moscow’s sincerity.
“Putin has now made statements about his alleged readiness for a cease-fire. 30 hours instead of 30 days,” Sybiha wrote on X.
“Unfortunately, we have had a long history of his statements not matching his actions. We know his words cannot be trusted and we will look at actions, not words,” he continued.
Putin made the ceasefire announcement during a meeting with Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov, saying, “Based on humanitarian considerations… the Russian side announces an Easter truce. I order a stop to all military activities for this period.”
He added, “We assume that Ukraine will follow our example. At the same time, our troops should be prepared to repel possible violations of the truce and provocations by the enemy, any aggressive actions.”
Russia’s defense ministry echoed this stance, saying its adherence to the truce would depend on Ukraine’s mutual compliance.
This isn’t the first time such a pause has been declared. A similar attempt during Orthodox Christmas in January 2023 fell apart when both sides failed to come to a lasting agreement.
Responding to the latest truce, a spokesperson from the UK’s Foreign Office remarked, “Now is the moment for Putin to truly show he is serious about peace by ending his horrible invasion and committing to a full ceasefire, as the Ukrainian government has called for – not just a one day pause for Easter.”
Russia’s full-scale assault on Ukraine began on February 24, 2022. Since then, hundreds of thousands have been reported dead or wounded, with most casualties among military personnel.
Despite direct US diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict, significant breakthroughs have been elusive. Moscow recently dismissed a full and unconditional ceasefire proposal backed by both the US and Ukraine.
On Friday, US President Donald Trump issued a stark warning, suggesting Washington might withdraw from peace negotiations unless progress was seen soon.
He echoed the sentiments of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who had earlier stated the US could not “continue with this endeavour for weeks and months on end” due to competing national interests.
“We need to determine very quickly now – and I’m talking about a matter of days – whether or not this is doable,” Trump said. “If it’s not going to happen, then we’re just going to move on.”
