Putin announces unilateral Easter truce in Ukraine

Shafaq News/ Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday declared a unilateral ceasefire to mark Orthodox Easter, pausing hostilities in the war in Ukraine, according to the Kremlin.

Speaking on state television alongside Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov, Putin said the temporary truce would begin at 18:00 Moscow time (15:00 GMT) and last until 24:00 Sunday (21:00 GMT), expressing hope that Kyiv would reciprocate.

“We are announcing an Easter truce,” Putin said. “We assume that the Ukrainian side will follow this initiative, and its actions during this period will demonstrate whether it is genuinely ready for a peaceful resolution.”

Putin also ordered military commanders to prepare to respond to any violations of the ceasefire, reflecting ongoing distrust between the warring sides.

Russia’s Ministry of Defense echoed the message on Telegram, saying its forces would observe the truce “for humanitarian purposes,” provided that Ukrainian forces did the same.

There was no immediate official response from Ukrainian authorities. However, President Volodymyr Zelensky suggested in a post on X that Moscow’s intentions were insincere.

Describing the development as “yet another attempt by Putin to play with human lives,” Zelensky noted that air raid sirens were sounding across the country. “Shahed drones in our skies reveal Putin’s true attitude toward Easter and toward human life,” he said.

Zelensky added that Ukrainian forces were maintaining their positions in Russia’s Kursk region and had expanded control within parts of the Russian Belgorod region—claims that could signal continued military activity despite the Russian truce announcement.

The ceasefire comes amid renewed international attention on the conflict. US President Donald Trump, who has claimed a role in behind-the-scenes diplomacy, recently warned that Washington would “take a pass” on brokering further talks if either Russia or Ukraine “make it very difficult” to reach peace.

Last month, Putin reportedly agreed to a 30-day halt on strikes against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure following a phone call with Trump. However, both sides have since accused each other of violating informal de-escalation understandings.