Putin orders Easter ceasefire, but Ukraine reports fresh missile threat near Kyiv
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has ordered a halt to all
combat operations from 6 p.m. April 19 to midnight April 21, citing an “Easter
truce,” according to Kremlin-distributed footage and reports by Russian state
media outlets TASS and RIA Novosti.
“Guided by humanitarian considerations, today from 6 p.m.
until midnight on Sunday into Monday, the Russian side declares an Easter
ceasefire. I order a full suspension of hostilities for this period. We proceed
from the assumption that the Ukrainian side will follow our example. At the
same time, our forces must remain ready to repel any violations of the
ceasefire or provocations by the enemy, including any aggressive actions,”
Putin said in the video.
Meanwhile, an air raid alert was declared in Kyiv and the surrounding Oblast at 5:10 p.m. due to the threat of a ballistic missile strike.
Putin also accused Ukraine of violating an agreement not to
target energy infrastructure “more than 100 times,” and claimed that the
ceasefire would serve as a test of the “Kyiv regime’s” readiness, willingness,
and ability to engage in peace talks aimed at “eliminating the root causes of
the Ukrainian crisis.”
Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Putin has declared a “ceasefire” only once — on Jan. 6–7, 2023.
Latest developments in Ukraine peace talks
On April 16, Ukraine’s parliament voted to extend martial
law and general mobilization for another 90 days, through Aug. 6.
According to the New York Post, representatives of the
United States, Ukraine, and European countries are expected to meet in London
next week to consider a comprehensive ceasefire deal. If an agreement is reached,
the terms would then be presented to Russia.
On April 17, Ukrainian Presidential Office head Andrii
Yermak led a delegation to Paris, where they met with members of the so-called
“coalition of the willing” and U.S. representatives Marco Rubio, Steve Witkoff,
and Keith Kellogg.
On April 18, Rubio stated that the U.S. government expects
progress in achieving peace in Ukraine within days — otherwise, President
Donald Trump would be advised to exit the talks. Trump later confirmed the
United States may withdraw from the negotiations. Axios reported that the
comments were primarily aimed at increasing pressure on Ukraine rather than on
Russia.
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