Russian President Vladimir Putin has proclaimed a temporary truce for Easter in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, asserting that he has instructed for “all hostilities” to cease over the weekend. In a message shared via the Kremlin’s Telegram channel, Putin stated, “guided by humanitarian considerations, today the Russian side is declaring an Easter truce from 18:00 to zero hours from Sunday to Monday.”
In his announcement, Putin emphasized, “I order all hostilities to stop for this period. We assume that the Ukrainian side will follow our example.” However, he also cautioned that Russian forces must remain vigilant to counter any potential breaches of the truce or provocations from Ukrainian forces.
Ukrainian skepticism amid ongoing threats
Despite the truce declaration, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy voiced skepticism regarding its sincerity. On Saturday evening, he reported that “Russian attack drones were detected in our skies.” In a post on X, Zelenskyy remarked,
“Shahed drones in our skies reveal Putin’s true attitude toward Easter and toward human life.”
Moreover, Zelenskyy highlighted the ramifications of a recent Russian missile strike in Kharkiv, providing details of the rescue operations that ensued. He condemned the attacks, stating, “One must be an outright scumbag and despise life to carry out such missile strikes on an ordinary city on Good Friday, the eve of Easter.”
Context of the truce amid peace negotiations
Putin’s unilateral declaration of a truce follows recent discussions among high-ranking U.S. officials, who noted an “encouraging reception” to a Washington-led peace initiative. This development comes at a time when U.S. President Donald Trump has hinted at the possibility of stepping back from the negotiation process.