Ukraine War: Putin Announces “Easter Truce,” Receives Skeptical Reactions
Russian President Vladimir Putin declared a unilateral ceasefire in Ukraine,slated to be in effect from 6:00 PM Moscow time on April 19 to midnight on April 21. Putin stated that this Easter truce
would depend on a reciprocal response from Ukraine.
Kyiv responded with skepticism to Putin’s proclamation. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky initially indicated that the Ukrainian army would respond to the silence
with a mirror
, meaning silence as well. Subsequently, Zelensky noted a decrease in fighting in certain areas, but emphasized that this was not universally observed across the front lines.
Did You Know?
The concept of an “Easter Truce” has historical roots, often proposed during conflicts to allow for religious observances.However, its effectiveness heavily relies on mutual commitment from all parties involved.
Moscow’s Statements
Putin’s ceasefire announcement occurred during a meeting at the Kremlin with Valery Gerasimov, the head of the General Staff of the Russian Armed forces.
I order for this period to stop all the fighting. We proceed from the fact that the Ukrainian side will follow our exmaple.At the same time, our troops should be prepared to reflect the possible violations of the ceasefire and provocations by the enemy, any of his aggressive actions.
Vladimir Putin
Putin added that Kyiv had violated the agreement
on refraining from attacks on energy infrastructure more than a hundred times.
He also expressed recognition for the efforts of the United Arab Emirates in seeking a peaceful resolution.
Easter truce will show how sincere the readiness of the Kyiv regime, his desire, and the ability to observe agreements, participate in the process of peace negotiations aimed at eliminating the root causes of the Ukrainian crisis.
Vladimir Putin
The Russian Ministry of Defense stated via Telegram that Gerasimov had instructed all the commanding of groups in the zone of special military operations
to implement the ceasefire.
The ministry further clarified, The ceasefire is introduced for humanitarian purposes and will be observed by the Russian united grouping of troops (forces) subject to its mutual compliance with the Kyiv regime.
In a related progress, an exchange of prisoners of war took place, with 246 individuals released on each side, facilitated by the United Arab Emirates. President Zelensky acknowledged the exchange on social media, expressing gratitude to the UAE for its mediation efforts. The russian Ministry of Defense characterized the exchange, which included the transfer of wounded prisoners, as a gesture of goodwill.
International Reaction to the “Truce”
The European Commission’s press secretary, anitta Hipper, responded cautiously to Russia’s declared ceasefire.
Russia has a track record of the aggressor, so first we need to see the real termination of aggression and obvious affairs for the sake of a long ceasefire.
Anitta Hipper,European Commission Press Secretary,via Reuters
Hipper added,Russia could stop this war at any moment,if I really wanted to … We continue to support Ukraine for the sake of a long, fair and comprehensive world.
Czech Republic Foreign Minister Yang Lipavsky urged vigilance against what he termed Putin’s propaganda.
airy anxiety throughout Ukraine a minute after the so -called Easter truce was announced, show how really Putin is really serious. Ukraine accepted the ceasefire a month ago. Putin continues to sabotage every step to the world.
Yang Lipavsky, czech Republic Foreign Minister
The British Foreign Ministry called for a complete ceasefire from Moscow, and not just a pause in one day.
The ministry stated, Ukraine pledged to comply with a complete ceasefire. We urge Russia to do the same.
Now it has come when Putin can show that he is serious about the world, and end his terrible invasion.
British Foreign Ministry, via Reuters
As of now, the United States government, including President Donald Trump, has not issued a formal response. Trump had previously stated he would abandon attempts to broker a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine if clear progress was not evident.
Past attempts at establishing truces have been unsuccessful. In January 2023, a Russian-declared Christmas truce failed to halt fighting. Similarly, a proposed Easter truce by Pope Francis in April of the same year was dismissed by the kremlin. A temporary moratorium on strikes against Ukrainian energy facilities, announced in March after discussions between the Russian and U.S. presidents, expired in April, with both sides accusing each other of violations.
