Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared a unilateral 30-hour Easter ceasefire in Ukraine, starting Saturday evening.
Moscow’s decision comes as Washington warns it may abandon peace talks if Moscow and Kyiv fail to show real efforts to end the war.
Putin ordered Russian forces to halt operations from 6 p.m. Moscow time (1500 GMT) on Saturday until midnight Sunday.
“Based on humanitarian considerations … the Russian side announces an Easter truce. I order a stop to all military activities for this period,” Putin told Valery Gerasimov, Chief of Russia’s General Staff, during a televised meeting.
He expressed hope that Ukraine would follow Russia’s 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,” Putin added.
However, shortly before the ceasefire was set to begin, air raid sirens blared in Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy rejected Putin’s gesture, calling it deceptive.
“Shahed drones in our skies reveal Putin’s true attitude toward Easter and toward human life,” Zelenskiy said on X, referring to Iranian-made drones often used by Russia for attacks.
U.S. Pressure on Peace Talks
The ceasefire follows warnings from U.S. President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Both stated that Washington could walk away from Russia-Ukraine peace negotiations unless there was tangible progress soon.
Kirill Dmitriev, a Russian envoy who recently visited Washington, shared news of the ceasefire online.
“One step closer to peace,” he wrote, accompanied by a dove emoji.
Despite Putin’s ceasefire announcement, Ukraine remains wary. Last month, Kyiv accepted a U.S.-proposed 30-day truce, but Moscow rejected the plan. The only agreed pauses were limited to attacks on energy facilities and maritime operations—both of which were later violated by both sides.
Recent Attacks and Peace Efforts
Putin’s ceasefire declaration comes just a week after a Russian missile strike killed 35 civilians and injured nearly 120 in Sumy, including Christians preparing for Palm Sunday celebrations.
The attack intensified calls from Kyiv and European allies for tougher U.S. actions against Russia.
Putin has previously declared temporary halts to fighting, including a proposed 36-hour Orthodox Christmas truce in January 2023. Kyiv dismissed that proposal, and fighting continued.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov recently stated that some progress had been made toward a peace settlement, though talks with Washington remain difficult.
The war, which began in February 2022, has claimed hundreds of thousands of soldiers’ lives, displaced millions of Ukrainians, and devastated cities along the front lines.
While Putin insists he wants peace, his conditions remain firm: Kyiv must cede all territories Moscow claims to have annexed and abandon efforts to join Western defense alliances.
Ukraine argues that these demands amount to surrender and would leave the country vulnerable to future attacks.
Separately, Russia and Ukraine confirmed a prisoner exchange on Saturday, mediated by the United Arab Emirates.
Each side freed 246 prisoners, while an additional 31 wounded Ukrainian soldiers were swapped for 15 injured Russian troops.
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