MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared a 32-hour ceasefire with Ukraine for the Orthodox Easter holiday, with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky confirming that Kyiv will honor the pause in hostilities.The Kremlin said on Thursday that the pause in fighting will begin at 4pm Moscow time (13:00GMT) on Saturday and run until midnight on Sunday, covering Easter celebrations observed in both countries.The Kremlin statement announcing the ceasefire said Russian forces were ordered “to halt combat operations on all fronts during this period. The troops are to be ready to repel any possible provocations by the adversary, as well as any aggressive actions on its part.”“We proceed from the assumption that the Ukrainian side will follow the example of the Russian Federation,” the Kremlin added.Ukraine’s President Zelensky had previously said he had forwarded the offer of an Easter ceasefire to Russia via US negotiators.Zelensky posted on X that Ukraine has repeatedly sought a pause of hostilities. “We proposed a ceasefire during the Easter holidays this year and will act accordingly. People need an Easter free from threats and real movement toward peace, and Russia has a chance not to return to strikes after Easter as well.”The United States has been mediating talks between envoys from Moscow and Kyiv as Russia’s war enters its fifth year.Previous efforts to secure ceasefires have had little effect. Putin declared a 30-hour ceasefire last Easter, which both sides accused the other of breaking.The ceasefire comes as wider diplomatic efforts to end the war remain stalled, with attention in Washington shifting towards escalating tensions in the Middle East.Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow had not discussed the Easter proposal in advance with the United States, nor did it signal any immediate revival of three-way peace talks.MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared a 32-hour ceasefire with Ukraine for the Orthodox Easter holiday, with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky confirming that Kyiv will honor the pause in hostilities.The Kremlin said on Thursday that the pause in fighting will begin at 4pm Moscow time (13:00GMT) on Saturday and run until midnight on Sunday, covering Easter celebrations observed in both countries.The Kremlin statement announcing the ceasefire said Russian forces were ordered “to halt combat operations on all fronts during this period. The troops are to be ready to repel any possible provocations by the adversary, as well as any aggressive actions on its part.”“We proceed from the assumption that the Ukrainian side will follow the example of the Russian Federation,” the Kremlin added.Ukraine’s President Zelensky had previously said he had forwarded the offer of an Easter ceasefire to Russia via US negotiators.Zelensky posted on X that Ukraine has repeatedly sought a pause of hostilities. “We proposed a ceasefire during the Easter holidays this year and will act accordingly. People need an Easter free from threats and real movement toward peace, and Russia has a chance not to return to strikes after Easter as well.”The United States has been mediating talks between envoys from Moscow and Kyiv as Russia’s war enters its fifth year.Previous efforts to secure ceasefires have had little effect. Putin declared a 30-hour ceasefire last Easter, which both sides accused the other of breaking.The ceasefire comes as wider diplomatic efforts to end the war remain stalled, with attention in Washington shifting towards escalating tensions in the Middle East.Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow had not discussed the Easter proposal in advance with the United States, nor did it signal any immediate revival of three-way peace talks.
