In a significant move, Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared an Easter ceasefire amid the ongoing hostilities in Ukraine. The ceasefire, announced late Saturday via a video shared by Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is set to take effect from 6:00 PM today until midnight on Monday.
The announcement came during a meeting at the Kremlin with Russia’s top military official, Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov. In the video message, Putin stated that the pause in hostilities was being implemented “for humanitarian reasons,” and instructed all Russian forces to observe a complete halt in combat activities during the designated period.
⚡️ President Putin announces Easter ceasefire.
💬 The Russian Side announces an #EasterCeasefire from 06:00 pm today to 00:00 am Monday. This is done for humanitarian reasons
I hereby order all military operations ceased for this period. https://t.co/Vc6kLoi9qB pic.twitter.com/XS2L6umAPM
— MFA Russia 🇷🇺 (@mfa_russia) April 19, 2025
This temporary ceasefire comes at a tense moment in the broader geopolitical context. Talks aimed at brokering a lasting peace in Ukraine appear to be faltering. In recent days, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking from Paris after a round of urgent diplomatic meetings with European, Ukrainian, and Russian officials, warned that Washington may soon pull back from negotiations if progress remains elusive.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration has indicated growing frustration with the slow pace of talks, suggesting that the window for diplomatic resolution may be closing.
