Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced a short Easter truce in the ongoing war with Ukraine. The ceasefire started on Saturday evening (6 PM local time) and will last until midnight on Sunday.
This announcement comes just after a new peace proposal from the United States, which was shared with European leaders earlier this week during a visit by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Paris.
In a televised statement, Putin said,
“From 6 PM Saturday to midnight Sunday, Russia will observe an Easter truce.”
He also mentioned that he expects Ukraine to do the same, but has asked the Russian military to be ready in case Ukrainian forces break the truce.
During the same meeting, Russia’s top military officer, Valery Gerasimov, updated Putin on recent battlefield developments. He said that Russian forces have regained control of over 99% of the area in the Kursk region that had been taken by Ukrainian troops during an incursion back in August.
“We've taken back 1,260 square kilometers—99.5% of the region,” Gerasimov said.
This truce, though temporary, is seen as a symbolic gesture during the Orthodox Easter weekend. Whether it leads to further peace talks or holds fully through Sunday night remains to be seen.
