Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the “Easter truce” in the war in Ukraine on Saturday, saying that the Russian team will stop military action from 6 pm on Saturday night until midnight April 21.
Putin said that “the Ukrainian side will follow our example,” according to a statement about the Kremlin Telegram channel. But he also says that Russia will respond to “truce and provocations” by Ukraine.
In a statement on Saturday, Ukrainian President Folodimir Zelinski did not mention whether or not Ukraine would agree to the armistice, but described the proposal as “another attempt by Putin to play with human lives” and said that there are still Russian attacks that are launched an hour before the Russian stopping to Sri.
Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks with General Staff General General Valerie Gerasimov during their Kremlin meeting in Moscow, Russia, on Saturday, April 19, 2025.
(Vyacheslav Prokofyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
Zelinski later said that there was no complete endowment of Russian military fire, saying: “According to the reports of the Supreme Commander, Russian attacks continue in many sectors of the front lines, and the Russian artillery fire has not retreated.”
He added that Ukraine will participate in a full ceasefire if Russia did, and touched on a 30 -day ceasefire proposal that Russia has rejected.
“If the full shooting stop is really, Ukraine suggests its extension beyond Easter on April 20,” Zelinski said. “This is what will reveal the real intentions of Russia – because 30 hours are sufficient to make headlines, but not for real confidence -building measures. Thirty days can give peace an opportunity.”
The proposed truce comes as US officials, including Foreign Minister Marco Rubio, continued to hold talks in Paris this week to discuss ending the war in Ukraine. Rubio said the talks were “fruitful”, but confirmed that the United States was ready to move from negotiations if it did not result.
“We need to know here, now, within days, whether it is possible in the short term, because if not the case, I think we will only move,” Rubio said at the airport runway. He leaves France early on Friday morning.
Later, at the White House, President Donald Trump chanted Rubio – saying that the United States would make a “very soon” decision.
In the wake of Rubio’s public comments, Moscow indicated that he was not in a hurry to conclude a deal.
These developments also come as a possible progress-a 30-day ceasefire that aims to stop strikes on energy infrastructure targets, with no word from Putin on whether Moscow will restart attacks on those targets.
Both Russia and Ukraine were accused of each other of violating the agreement again and again, in which the Trump administration mediated last month.
Meanwhile, the two sides exchanged hundreds of prisoners on Saturday. The Russian Ministry of Defense said that 246 members of the Russian service were returned from the lands controlled by Kiev, and that it was “as a gesture of goodwill” 31 of the Ukrainian street prisoners were transferred in exchange for 15 wounded Russian soldiers in need of urgent medical care.
Zelinski said that the Ukrainian “Warriors” returned to the homeland of Russian families.
Both sides thanked the United Arab Emirates for their mediation.
This is a developing story. Check again for updates.
This report contributed to this report in this report.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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