Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a surprise one-day ceasefire in Ukraine for Easter, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy dismissed the proposal as “yet another attempt by Putin to play with human lives.” The ceasefire is set to run from 6 p.m. Moscow time (1500 GMT) on Saturday until midnight on Sunday night.
Zelenskiy said that Russian artillery continued to fire despite the proposed truce, and he called for an extended true halt to hostilities. Putin’s move came after Washington announced it could abandon peace talks unless Moscow and Kyiv showed they were serious about negotiating.
The ceasefire is set to last for 30 hours, but Ukraine has expressed skepticism over its validity, citing past instances of similar moves by Putin having little impact. Zelenskiy also stated that the truce does not apply to Russia’s Kursk and Belgorod regions, where Ukrainian forces have made incursions.
A European Union spokesperson expressed caution over the proclaimed ceasefire, saying: “Russia has a track record as an aggressor, so first we need to see any actual halt of the aggression and clear deeds for a lasting ceasefire.” The US has vowed to bring a swift end to the war, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio stating that there should be clear signs of progress soon.
As tensions remain high, Ukrainian residents expressed little faith in the ceasefire, warning of potential missile strikes. The situation at the front remains unclear, with reports of continued firing and provocations by Russian forces.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russias-putin-declares-unilateral-easter-ceasefire-ukraine-2025-04-19