Russia and Ukraine have announced an agreement for a truce coinciding with Orthodox Easter, a development that could offer a temporary respite from the ongoing conflict. Russian President Vladimir Putin stated he had instructed his troops to cease fire in all directions over the weekend.
This declaration from Moscow followed numerous calls for a ceasefire initiated by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, which had previously been disregarded by the Kremlin. Putin’s announcement outlined a truce set to commence at 16:00 local time (14:00 BST) on Saturday, April 11, and extend through Easter Sunday. He further expressed an expectation that Ukraine would reciprocate Russia’s gesture. Putin also directed his forces to remain vigilant against any potential enemy provocations or aggressive actions.
The phrasing of Russia’s announcement and its effort to seize the initiative are likely to be met with skepticism in Ukraine. However, President Zelensky soon responded on X, stating that Ukraine was prepared for proportional responses. He emphasized the need for an Easter free from threats and for genuine progress toward peace, adding that Russia had an opportunity to refrain from resuming strikes even after the holiday.
Earlier in the week, Zelensky had revealed that he had requested the United States to convey a proposal for a holiday weekend truce to Moscow, seeing it as an initial step. Any reduction in combat would be a welcome development for soldiers stationed along the extensive frontline in eastern Ukraine, where they face constant threats from attack drones. Such a ceasefire would also provide relief to civilians across the country, where air raid sirens have become an unsettling part of daily life and Russian missiles and drones continue to cause casualties and injuries.
Recent incidents underscore the persistent danger. Several individuals were killed when a drone struck their bus in Nikopol in the southeastern region. In Zhytomyr, west of Kyiv, a woman lost her life when a missile impacted near her home during the morning. The air raid sirens sounded again in the capital shortly after the announcement of the weekend truce.
Concurrently, Ukraine has intensified its drone attacks on Russian territory, focusing particularly on energy export infrastructure through a series of significant strikes. Russia has reported that residential buildings were also hit during these operations.
Should the truce materialize on Saturday, Ukrainians are likely to harbor doubts about its adherence. Earlier this year, Russia had proclaimed an “energy truce,” halting its destructive strikes on Ukraine’s power facilities during the harshest winter months. However, this pause lasted merely long enough to facilitate preparations for subsequent major assaults.
In May of the previous year, Russia declared a unilateral cessation of hostilities to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany. During that period, Ukraine documented hundreds of ceasefire violations.
Kyiv’s principal objective, and a proposal consistently put forward, is a comprehensive and stable ceasefire as a foundational step toward negotiating a lasting resolution to Russia’s invasion. Conversely, Moscow maintains that a peace deal must be agreed upon first, leading to accusations from Kyiv that Russia is insincere about ending the conflict. Several rounds of negotiations have taken place, with the United States serving as a mediator, but the process has been stalled since Donald Trump redirected his attention to the Middle East.