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.
โGuided by humanitarian considerations, the Russian side is declaring an Easter truce,โ Putin said during a meeting at the Kremlin with Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov, according to a translated statement posted on the Kremlinโs 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. โAt 17:15, Russian attack drones were detected in our skies,โ he said in a post on social media, adding that Ukrainian forces remain active in Russiaโs Kursk and Belgorod regions. โShahed drones in our skies reveal Putinโs true attitude toward Easter and toward human life.โ
I have just received a report from Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / ะะพะปะพะดะธะผะธั ะะตะปะตะฝััะบะธะน (@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 forโฆ
The move comes as the United States continues efforts to broker a peace deal between Moscow and Kyivโwith 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.
Byย Tom Ozimek
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