Russia and Ukraine have agreed to a temporary ceasefire over Orthodox Easter. The truce is expected to begin on Saturday afternoon and last until Sunday night.
According to the Kremlin, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the pause in fighting late Thursday. The ceasefire comes more than a week after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had already called for a holiday truce. The announcement also comes at a time when US-led efforts to restart peace talks remain stalled.
The Easter truce offers a brief pause in one of the world’s longest and most destructive conflicts. But with deep mistrust, ongoing fighting and stalled diplomacy, the chances of lasting peace remain uncertain.
A short pause in a long war! What does it include?
The Kremlin said the ceasefire will run from 4:00 pm (1300 GMT) on Saturday until the end of Sunday, lasting about 32 hours.
Russian officials said Defence Minister Andrei Belousov and military chief Valery Gerasimov have been instructed to “cease hostilities in all directions during this period.” The Kremlin also said, “We assume that the Ukrainian side will follow the Russian Federation’s example,” reported AFP.
Ukraine responded cautiously. President Zelenskyy said Ukraine had already supported the idea of an Easter ceasefire and would act accordingly, stating, “We proposed a ceasefire for the Easter holidays this year and will act accordingly.”
However, Russia denied any prior coordination with Ukraine or the United States on the truce.
Previous ceasefires and mistrust
This is not the first temporary pause in fighting. A similar 30-hour Easter truce was announced last year, but both sides accused each other of violating it multiple times. Ukraine reported fewer Russian airstrikes during that period, but fighting still continued on the ground.
Russia has also announced other short truces, including one during its May 9 holiday, which Ukraine strongly criticised as politically motivated.
Ukraine has repeatedly called for a long-term and unconditional ceasefire, but Russia has rejected this, saying it wants a final peace settlement instead. Kyiv, in turn, argues that Moscow is not serious about peace and instead wants Ukraine to surrender.
What is happening on the battlefield?
The fighting has continued for more than four years, but Russia’s recent advances have slowed, reported the news agency.
Reports based on military data suggest that Russian forces made almost no territorial gains last month—the slowest pace in over two years. In March, Russia reportedly captured only about 23 square kilometres along the front line.
Russia currently controls just over 19 percent of Ukraine, including territory taken during the early stages of the 2022 invasion. About seven percent, including Crimea and parts of Donbas, was already under Russian or separatist control before the war.
Peace talks remain stalled
US-led diplomatic efforts to end the war have slowed in recent months.
Earlier negotiations were held in cities like Abu Dhabi and Geneva, but talks have not progressed since late February. Both sides have shown willingness to resume discussions, but major differences remain.
One key issue is territory. Ukraine has proposed freezing the war along current front lines, while Russia insists Ukraine must give up all of Donetsk region territories currently under its control.
Another unresolved issue is control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which has been under Russian control since the early days of the war.
Hopes for peace remain limited!
Ukraine has said it is ready to observe the ceasefire, although public scepticism remains high. Ukraine’s foreign minister Andriy Sybiga said, “We believe that a ceasefire is the right strategy to advance diplomatic efforts,” as per AFP.
However, analysts believe the truce is unlikely to last beyond Easter. Russian analyst Konstantin Kalachev described it as “short-lived,” saying Russia is not ready to soften its demands.
Some pro-Russian commentators suggested the pause could help recover bodies and wounded soldiers from the battlefield, where drone warfare has made evacuation difficult.
(With APF Inputs)