Russia has announced a unilateral Easter truce amid rising U.S. pressure for a breakthrough in peace negotiations with Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday declared a unilateral Easter ceasefire in Ukraine, ordering Russian forces to halt combat operations from 6 p.m. Moscow time until midnight on Sunday, according to the Kremlin.
“Guided by humanitarian considerations, the Russian side is declaring an Easter truce,” Putin said during a meeting at the Kremlin with Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov, according to a translated statement posted on the Kremlin’s official Telegram channel on April 19. He added that Russian troops must remain ready to repel any potential violations by Ukrainian forces.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed the announcement as disingenuous, citing continued Russian attacks. “At 17:15, Russian attack drones were detected in our skies,” he said in a post on social media, adding that Ukrainian forces remain active in Russia’s Kursk and Belgorod regions. “Shahed drones in our skies reveal Putin’s true attitude toward Easter and toward human life.”
I have just received a report from Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) April 19, 2025
Today, our forces continued their activity on the territory of the Kursk region and are holding their positions. In the Belgorod region, our warriors have advanced and expanded our zone of control.
As for…
The move comes as the United States continues efforts to broker a peace deal between Moscow and Kyiv—with growing signs of impatience in Washington.
President Donald Trump said Friday he would abandon the push for a settlement if there is no progress within days.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
By Tom Ozimek
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