Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a temporary halt to military operations in Ukraine, declaring a 30-hour “Easter truce” set to last until 22:00 BST on Sunday (00:00 Moscow time). He emphasized that Russian forces must remain ready to respond to any violations of the ceasefire.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine would honor the truce if Russia did the same but accused Moscow of already breaching it. He noted ongoing hostilities in Russia’s Kursk and Belgorod regions and continued drone activity, although some areas had seen reduced fighting. Zelensky reaffirmed Ukraine’s readiness to uphold a broader 30-day ceasefire, initially proposed by the US.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha expressed skepticism, stating Putin’s short-term ceasefire fell far short of the month-long truce Ukraine had already agreed to. “Putin talks about 30 hours instead of 30 days,” he wrote, adding that Russia’s words are often not backed by action.
Putin issued the truce order during a meeting with his top military official, framing it as a humanitarian gesture, while Russia’s defense ministry said its forces would respect the ceasefire only if Ukraine did the same. Previous attempts at temporary truces, such as during Orthodox Christmas in 2023, have similarly failed.
A UK Foreign Office spokesperson urged Putin to demonstrate genuine commitment to peace by ending the war entirely, not just pausing for Easter. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, the conflict has caused hundreds of thousands of military and civilian casualties. Despite ongoing U.S. efforts to mediate, Moscow recently rejected a U.S.-Ukraine proposal for a lasting ceasefire.
President Trump warned the U.S. would soon disengage from negotiations unless significant progress is made, signaling waning patience in Washington.
