Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for a ceasefire to extend beyond the Easter holiday, emphasizing that this period should be one of safety and peace. During an evening address on April 11, he confirmed that Kyiv had proposed this to Moscow.
Zelensky stated, “It would be right for the ceasefire to continue. We made this proposal to Russia, and if Russia chooses war instead of peace, it will once again demonstrate to the world, particularly the United States, who truly desires conflict.”
“If there are no Russian strikes, there will be no responses from us. We remember how things were in similar situations before and clearly know who we are dealing with. If there are no Russian missiles or drones, we will also maintain silence in the skies. The task for the front remains the same. However, every Ukrainian unit has the right to respond,” he added.
Earlier, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrsky, instructed military personnel to uphold the ceasefire on land, at sea, and in the air during the Easter celebrations, which began on April 11 at 16:00 and are set to continue until the end of April 12.
Background
On March 30, Zelensky indicated that Ukraine was prepared to establish a ceasefire with Russia during the Easter festivities. The following day, he announced that Ukraine had formally proposed a ceasefire to Russia and was awaiting a response.
The Kremlin responded by stating that Zelensky’s comments regarding an “Easter ceasefire” lacked a clear proposal. They claimed that Moscow desires “peace,” rather than a temporary halt to hostilities.
On April 2, Zelensky mentioned that Ukraine had communicated its ceasefire proposal to the United States.
“We all saw in the media their (Russia’s) response: they seem not to be ready for this. I do not know how serious this response is. We conveyed our request to the American side. I do not know if they will have the opportunity to relay their message back to the Russians. We’ll see. Our proposal for a ceasefire during Easter remains,” he stated.
On April 8, Foreign Ministry spokesman Georgiy Tikhy reaffirmed Ukraine’s readiness for an Easter ceasefire.
“We confirm Ukraine’s readiness for an Easter ceasefire. It remains in effect. We are also prepared for an energy ceasefire. If Russia stops its strikes, then Ukraine is ready to reciprocate,” he said, adding that the Middle East has shown that such agreements can be effective, even with regimes like Iran.
On April 9, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced an Easter ceasefire from 16:00 on April 11 until the end of April 12. Zelensky responded, stating that Ukraine had repeatedly offered a ceasefire and would act accordingly.
Putin’s Easter Ceasefire in 2025
On April 19, Putin declared an “Easter ceasefire” and ordered Russian troops to cease fire from 18:00 on April 19 until 00:00 on April 21. He added that the Russian army should be prepared to respond to any potential violations of the ceasefire.
Zelensky criticized this as an attempt to manipulate the lives of people, yet he agreed to fully cease fire if Russia maintained the silence. In the event of strikes, Ukraine would respond in kind, he added.
The U.S. State Department expressed a desire for the ceasefire to continue beyond Easter.
On April 20, Zelensky reported that Russia had violated the ceasefire 2,935 times during Easter across all major fronts, employing FPV drones and heavy weaponry.
However, on that same day, there were no air raid alerts, which, according to Zelensky, indicated a form of silence that could be easily extended. Therefore, Ukraine proposed to refrain from any long-range drone or missile strikes on civilian infrastructure for at least 30 days, with the possibility of an extension. In the evening of April 20, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that Putin had not issued any orders to extend the ceasefire.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has proposed extending a ceasefire beyond Easter, emphasizing the need for peace during this period. The proposal, communicated to Russia, reflects ongoing tensions and the complexities of achieving lasting peace amid the conflict.