Russia and Ukraine have agreed to a ceasefire during Orthodox Easter this weekend, marking a rare respite in the war that has dragged on for more than four years.
In a statement late on Thursday, the Kremlin said President Vladimir Putin had ordered a pause in fighting that would begin at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday and last until the end of the day on Sunday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had earlier called for an Easter ceasefire, though the Kremlin’s statement made no mention of that, mentioning only that it expected Ukraine “to follow the example of the Russian Federation.”
Hours after Russia’s announcement, Zelensky said Ukraine would reciprocate the ceasefire this weekend.
“People need an Easter free from threats and real progress toward peace, and Russia has a chance to avoid returning to hostilities after Easter,” he said.
The Kremlin previously dismissed Zelensky’s call for an Easter ceasefire, claiming his proposal was vague and fell short of reaching a lasting peace.
In 2025, Putin unilaterally declared an Easter ceasefire with Ukraine, which was marred by mutual accusations of violations.
Zelensky at the time urged Moscow to extend the 30-hour truce into 30 days to pave the way for a broader ceasefire, a proposal that Putin ignored.
AFP contributed reporting.
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