Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Saturday that Ukraine would observe the Easter ceasefire declared earlier that day by Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, Zelensky simultaneously accused Moscow of breaching its own commitment just hours after it was announced.
“If Russia is genuinely willing to commit, Ukraine will do the same — our actions will mirror theirs,” Zelensky wrote on X, formerly Twitter. He also proposed extending the truce beyond Easter Sunday, through April 20.
Despite this, Zelensky expressed skepticism, stating that Russian forces were still conducting assaults along several sections of the front, and that artillery fire had not subsided. “We have no confidence in the words coming out of Moscow,” he added. “We are all too familiar with their capacity for manipulation. Ukraine’s Defense Forces remain prepared and will respond to any attack.”
Ceasefire Amid Ongoing Strikes
Putin had ordered a temporary halt to hostilities for humanitarian reasons, from 6:00 p.m. local time Saturday (15:00 GMT) until midnight Sunday (21:00 GMT). The announcement came during a televised meeting with military leadership.
“We assume the Ukrainian side will follow our example,” Putin said, while also instructing Russian forces to be ready to respond “immediately and fully” to any violations of the truce or acts of aggression from Kyiv’s troops.
Zelensky noted that Russia’s offer came as air raid sirens were already sounding across Ukraine, including in Kyiv, due to Russian drone activity. Ukrainian air defenses later reported continued threats from ballistic missiles, prompting alerts in the Kharkiv, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Dnipropetrovsk regions.
Prisoner Swap Signals Rare Cooperation
Despite tensions, both sides carried out a major prisoner exchange on Saturday. Russia and Ukraine each handed over 246 prisoners of war. Moscow also stated that 31 wounded Ukrainian soldiers were exchanged for 15 injured Russian troops in need of urgent medical attention — one of the few remaining forms of cooperation between the two nations.
Russia Claims Gains in Border Region
Russia also claimed on Saturday that it had retaken nearly all the territory captured by Ukraine during a cross-border offensive in the Kursk region in August 2024.
According to General Valery Gerasimov, Chief of the Russian General Staff, Russian forces have reclaimed 1,260 square kilometers — “99.5%” — of the territory involved in the incursion, including the border village of Olechnia. Only one village, Gornal, remains under Ukrainian control in the region. Gerasimov also said that Russian forces had repelled fresh Ukrainian attempts to enter the neighboring Belgorod region.
Distrust Among Ukrainian Troops
Speaking to AFP in the eastern city of Kramatorsk, Ukrainian soldiers voiced deep mistrust of the ceasefire announcement. “It’s impossible to believe in any kind of truce from these people,” said Dmytro, a 40-year-old serviceman. Another soldier, Vadym, added that “anyone who trusts Putin should seriously reconsider everything they’ve seen and question their sources.”
Ceasefire History: A Pattern of Failures
The Easter truce follows a series of previously failed attempts at establishing temporary peace since the war began in February 2022.
In April 2022, a proposal by UN Secretary-General António Guterres was rejected by Moscow, which argued that it would allow Ukrainian forces to regroup. A year later, in January 2023, the Russian Orthodox Church called for a pause in hostilities. Moscow declared a 36-hour ceasefire, which was quickly dismissed by Kyiv as a “trap” and widely ignored on the battlefield.
U.S. Frustration Mounts
This latest ceasefire bid also comes amid growing frustration from U.S. President Donald Trump, whose administration has been pushing for a resolution to the conflict. On Friday, Trump threatened to withdraw from ongoing mediation efforts unless significant progress is made.
Earlier, Trump had proposed a full, unconditional 30-day ceasefire. Ukraine accepted the idea under U.S. pressure, but the Kremlin rejected the plan.
On Friday, Russia also declared the expiration of a 30-day moratorium on strikes targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, further complicating efforts to de-escalate the conflict. Both countries had repeatedly accused one another of violating the informal arrangement.
As the war enters its third year, the fragile nature of Saturday’s truce raises new questions about the possibility of even temporary peace.
With AFP
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