Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced a temporary Easter ceasefire in his country’s war with Ukraine, the Kremlin said Saturday.
The war has raged for more than three years and cost the lives of tens of thousands of people on both sides.
“Guided by humanitarian considerations, today from 18:00 to 00:00 from Sunday to Monday, the Russian side declares an Easter truce,’” Putin said in a video posted by the Russian ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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“I order that all military actions be stopped for this period.”
In the video, Putin is joined by Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov.
The move appeared to be scoffed at by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy who said shortly after the announcement that air raid alerts were ringing out across Ukraine.
“As for yet another attempt by Putin to play with human lives—at this moment, air raid alerts are spreading across Ukraine,” Zelenskyy wrote on X while giving an update on troop positions. It wasn’t entirely clear if he was addressing the truce.
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“At 17:15, Russian attack drones were detected in our skies. Ukrainian air defense and aviation have already begun working to protect us. Shahed drones in our skies reveal Putin’s true attitude toward Easter and toward human life.”
Zelenskyy wrote that Ukrainian forces were battling in the Kursk region and holding their positions.
“In the Belgorod region, our warriors have advanced and expanded our zone of control,” he wrote.
Russia’s Defense Ministry, however, said its forces pushed Ukrainian troops from one of their last remaining footholds in Russia’s Kursk region, where Ukrainian troops staged a surprise incursion last year.
He later added that Russia had “ignored” the United States’ proposal for a 30-day truce after Ukraine “responded positively.”
“If Russia is now suddenly ready to truly engage in a format of full and unconditional silence, Ukraine will act accordingly — mirroring Russia’s actions,” Zelenskyy said. “Silence in response to silence, defensive strikes in response to attacks.”
He said if an Easter ceasefire actually takes hold, he proposes extending it longer. “That is what will reveal Russia’s true intentions — because 30 hours is enough to make headlines, but not for genuine confidence-building measures,” he said. “Thirty days could give peace a chance.”
He added, “As of now, according to the Commander-in-Chief reports, Russian assault operations continue on several frontline sectors, and Russian artillery fire has not subsided. Therefore, there is no trust in words coming from Moscow. We know all too well how Moscow manipulates, and we are prepared for anything. Ukraine’s Defense Forces will act rationally — responding in kind. Every Russian strike will be met with an appropriate response.”
The temporary ceasefire comes after President Donald Trump on Thursday said an 80-page minerals deal will be signed with Ukraine in one week. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent later amended that it would likely be signed on April 26.
Details on the agreement still remain relatively unknown, though recent reporting by Bloomberg has suggested the U.S. has eased back its demands of repayment for its aid in Ukraine’s fight against Russia from $300 billion to $100 billion.
On Friday, Trump said the U.S. will “just take a pass” at peace efforts for Ukraine if Russian President Vladimir Putin refuses to agree to ceasefire terms.
“If for some reason, one of the two parties makes it very difficult, we’re just going to say ‘you’re foolish, you’re fools, you’re horrible people,’ and we’re going to just take a pass,” Trump told reporters. “But hopefully we won’t have to do that.”
Fox News’ Caitlin McFall and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
