Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared a temporary ceasefire with Ukraine to coincide with the Orthodox Easter holidays, according to the Kremlin on Thursday (April 9). The announcement comes shortly after Kyiv reportedly put forward a similar proposal for a pause in hostilities.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had earlier this week suggested a holiday truce via the United States, as diplomatic efforts to end the nearly four-year conflict continue to face setbacks, partly due to renewed global tensions involving the Middle East.
In a statement, the Kremlin said the ceasefire would take effect from 4pm on April 11 until the end of April 12, 2026. It added that the order was issued by Putin in connection with the approaching Orthodox Easter period.
Russia’s General Staff has been instructed to halt combat operations across all fronts during this period, while remaining prepared to respond to any alleged provocations from Ukrainian forces. Moscow also expressed hope that Kyiv would observe the same pause in fighting.
However, the broader peace negotiations remain stalled, with multiple rounds of US-led talks failing to produce meaningful progress. Russia continues to insist on territorial and political concessions, terms Ukraine has repeatedly rejected, calling them unacceptable.
The war, which has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and displaced millions of people, remains the deadliest conflict in Europe since World War II, with no long-term resolution in sight.
