Russia Declares Easter Ceasefire in Ukraine Conflict

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a 30-hour "Easter truce" in Ukraine, ordering his forces to "stop all military activity" until Sunday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv would adhere to the truce but accused Moscow of continuing to attack in some areas, saying Russia was "trying to create a general impression of a ceasefire". Zelensky stated that Ukraine's actions would be "symmetrical" to Russia's and that a proposal for a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire remained on the table. The UK and US have expressed skepticism about the truce, with the UK calling for a full ceasefire and the US questioning Russia's commitment to peace talks.

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a temporary "Easter truce" in Ukraine from 6 p.m. on April 19 to midnight on April 21, ordering a halt to all fighting on humanitarian grounds. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy responded, stating that if Russia genuinely observes a full ceasefire, Ukraine will mirror the approach and strike only in self-defense. The announcement comes as the conflict in Ukraine enters its fourth year, with previous attempts at ceasefires failing. The truce was announced a day after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US might "move on" from peace talks if progress wasn't made soon. Meanwhile, Russia and Ukraine conducted a prisoner swap, with 246 Russian service members and 277 Ukrainian "warriors" returning home. Fighting continued before the ceasefire, with Russia's Defense Ministry claiming to have retaken 99% of territory seized by Ukraine in the Kursk region.

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a temporary Easter ceasefire in the war with Ukraine, effective from 6 p.m. on Sunday to midnight on Monday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was skeptical of the move, stating that air raid alerts were sounding across Ukraine and that Russian attack drones were detected in Ukrainian skies. Zelenskyy also said that Ukrainian forces were battling Russian troops in several regions and that Russia had "ignored" a U.S. proposal for a 30-day truce. Putin's announcement came after former U.S. President Donald Trump said a minerals deal with Ukraine would be signed soon and that the U.S. would "take a pass" on peace efforts if Russia refused to agree to ceasefire terms.

US President Donald Trump stated that the country will abandon efforts to broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine if Russia is not serious about negotiating a ceasefire. Trump made these comments after Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US is ready to "move on" if no progress is made in the talks. Ukraine has agreed to ceasefire proposals, but Russia has delayed any agreement. Trump previously threatened to impose tariffs on Russian oil if Moscow is not willing to negotiate a ceasefire.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is skeptical of Russian President Vladimir Putin's announcement of a temporary Easter ceasefire, citing continued Russian attacks and air raid alerts across Ukraine. Zelenskyy stated that Russian drones were detected in the skies and that assault operations continued on several frontline sectors, indicating a lack of trust in Putin's words. He proposed that a 30-day ceasefire would be more effective in building confidence and potentially leading to peace, and reiterated that Ukraine is ready to move towards peace if Russia is equally committed.

Vladimir Putin has announced a 30-hour "Easter truce" in Ukraine, set to last from 6pm on Saturday to midnight on Easter Sunday. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claims Russian attacks are continuing, stating that "Russian assault operations continue on several frontline sectors, and Russian artillery fire has not subsided." Zelenskyy expressed distrust in Russia's intentions, citing a history of unfulfilled promises, and suggested that a longer ceasefire period, such as 30 days, would be needed to demonstrate genuine commitment to peace. The announcement comes as Ukraine and Russia conducted a prisoner swap, exchanging over 500 prisoners of war.

Vladimir Putin has offered a 30-hour "Easter truce" in Ukraine, which if implemented, would be the first cessation of hostilities since the war began. The move is seen as a diplomatic effort by Putin to cast himself as a peacemaker in the eyes of US President Donald Trump, and to keep him engaged in peace negotiations. The truce falls short of the 30-day ceasefire initially proposed by Trump and accepted by Ukraine, and its limited duration and presentation as a unilateral Russian concession have raised questions about its sincerity and potential impact on the conflict.