Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday announced a 32-hour ceasefire for Orthodox Easter, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv would reciprocate.
The truce is set to take effect on Saturday at 4:00 PM Moscow time (1:00 PM GMT) and run through Sunday midnight (9:00 PM GMT), covering Orthodox Easter on April 12. Defence Minister Belousov ordered Chief of the General Staff Gerasimov to halt military operations across all fronts for the duration.
“Ukraine has repeatedly stated that we are ready for reciprocal steps. We proposed a ceasefire during the Easter holiday this year and will act accordingly,” Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram. “People need an Easter without threats and a real move towards peace.”
The Kremlin said the temporary ceasefire was not discussed in advance with the United States. Russian special envoy Kirill Dmitriev is currently in the US meeting Trump administration officials on a broader peace deal and economic cooperation.
The announcement mirrors a similar 30-hour ceasefire Putin ordered for Orthodox Easter last year, which both sides accused the other of violating. The latest truce coincides with a diplomatic pause as Washington balances peace negotiations on both the Russia-Ukraine and US-Iran fronts simultaneously.
