In a move raising both hope and doubt, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a temporary Easter truce in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, promising to halt military operations from 6 p.m. Saturday until midnight April 21.
The Kremlin’s statement, released via Telegram, claimed the ceasefire is a goodwill gesture, with Putin expressing hope that Ukraine would mirror the action. However, he warned that Russia would retaliate against any “violations or provocations” during the pause.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in a statement on Saturday, dismissed the move as a political stunt. “This is yet another attempt by Putin to play with human lives,” Zelenskyy said, noting that Russian shelling continued right up to the proposed start of the truce.
Zelenskyy confirmed that Russian assault operations and artillery fire had not stopped, despite Moscow’s declaration. Still, he expressed willingness for a genuine ceasefire if Russia fully complies — and proposed extending the truce beyond Easter if the Kremlin is truly interested in peace.
“A true ceasefire should last longer than 30 hours,” Zelenskyy stated. “We propose a 30-day truce — one that can foster real trust and progress.”
Meanwhile, U.S. diplomatic efforts continued in Paris. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called talks “productive” but said the U.S. would not linger indefinitely. “We’ll know in days whether peace is possible. If not, we’ll move on,” Rubio told reporters Friday before departing France.
At the White House, President Donald Trump echoed Rubio’s urgency, suggesting a decision on the future of the talks was imminent.
Adding to the pressure, a 30-day ceasefire agreement on energy infrastructure — brokered by the Trump administration — recently expired, with no signal from Moscow about a renewal. Both sides have accused each other of breaching that deal.
As the war grinds on, the brief Easter truce could either mark the start of meaningful dialogue — or just another pause in a devastating conflict with no end in sight.