Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared a "tregua de Pascua" (Easter truce) in Ukraine, during which Russian troops will halt "todas las hostilidades" (all hostilities) for nearly two days. The ceasefire was announced on Saturday, April 19, 2025, and is scheduled to begin at 18:00 local time (21:00 GMT) and conclude at 00:00 on Monday, April 21, 2025, according to Reuters.
In a televised address, Putin expressed hope that the Ukrainian side would follow suit. "We assume that the Ukrainian side will follow our example," he stated, flanked by General Valeri Guerásimov, the Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Army. However, Kyiv has yet to indicate whether it will adhere to Moscow's ceasefire.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed skepticism regarding the sincerity of the Russian announcement. "The drones (Iranian) Shahed in our skies reveal Putin's true attitude towards Easter and human life," he wrote on social media.
The Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed the truce, stating that it was based on humanitarian considerations. However, Russian military authorities warned that they would remain vigilant. "Our troops must be prepared to repel possible violations of the truce and provocations from the enemy, as well as any aggressive actions," the statement concluded.
Putin claimed that the ceasefire would serve to evaluate the sincerity of the Ukrainian government regarding compliance with agreements and participation in peace negotiations to resolve what he refers to as "the Ukrainian crisis." He alleged that Ukraine had violated the agreement not to attack energy facilities over 100 times.
In a rare gesture, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced the exchange of 246 prisoners of war. According to Moscow, 31 wounded Ukrainians were exchanged for 15 wounded Russians as a "gesto de buena voluntad" (gesture of goodwill). Zelensky described the return of the Ukrainian servicemen as "one of the best pieces of news possible," thanking all those who made it possible, particularly the United Arab Emirates. To date, 4,552 individuals, including soldiers and civilians, have returned home after being imprisoned in Russia since the beginning of the war.
Despite the announcement of the truce, fighting continued in Ukraine. Andriy Kovalenko, director of the Center for Counteracting Disinformation in Ukraine, reported, "No hay tregua: en todas las direcciones, la Federación Rusa sigue disparando, como antes" (There is no truce: in all directions, the Russian Federation continues to fire, as before). Ukrainian lawmaker Lisa Yasko echoed this sentiment, stating that air raid sirens had returned to Kyiv and other cities. "A one-day ceasefire, even if it happens, is like a joke," she told the BBC.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha refrained from clarifying whether the government would join the truce announced by Putin. Instead, he suggested that the announcement revealed the Russian leader's intentions. "Putin has now made statements about his supposed willingness to a ceasefire. 30 hours instead of 30 days. Unfortunately, we have a long history of his statements not matching his actions," he added.
The unexpected decision by Putin comes just hours after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to end negotiations aimed at achieving a ceasefire in Ukraine if Moscow and Kyiv did not show signs of wanting to end hostilities soon. "We are talking about people dying. Ideally, we want to avoid that," Trump stated on Friday. "Now, if for some reason one of the two parties makes it very difficult, we will simply say: 'They are fools, they are horrible people,' and we will just ignore them."
This is not the first time Putin has announced a truce during a significant religious holiday for his citizens. The first occurred in early 2023, coinciding with Orthodox Christmas, when the Kremlin promised its cannons would be silent for 36 hours. However, this did not happen, as Russian troops launched several attacks against the contested cities of Bakhmut and Soledar in eastern Ukraine. This history explains the cautious reaction to the current announcement. Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský noted, "The fact that air raid sirens were heard across Ukraine just minutes after the so-called Easter truce was announced shows how serious Putin really is."
While Kyiv has accepted the vague ceasefire proposal presented by the U.S. and blamed Moscow for obstructing peace efforts, its current silence could put it in a compromising position. "Ukrainian troops will not suddenly lay down their arms, but it potentially puts President Zelensky in a difficult position where if Russia accuses him of breaking the ceasefire, a White House favorable to Moscow could blame him," warned BBC correspondent James Waterhouse.
Similarly, BBC editor for Russia Steve Rosenberg stated that Putin is likely to use this unilateral truce to convince the White House that Russia, which launched a large-scale invasion of Ukraine more than three years ago, is serious about ending the war.
In the meantime, the situation on the ground remains tense. Just hours after the truce was announced, Russian forces launched eight missiles and 87 drones in a night attack against Ukraine, causing damage in five regions. Ukrainian air defense units managed to shoot down 33 of the drones, while another 36 were diverted through electronic warfare, according to the Ukrainian Air Force.
As the Easter truce unfolds, the world watches closely, hoping for a genuine commitment to peace amid skepticism and ongoing conflict.
