Putin announces ‘Easter truce’ in Ukraine conflict amid Trump’s warning

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday (April 19) announced a unilateral Easter ceasefire in Ukraine, just as US President Donald Trump issued a sharp warning to Moscow over rising tensions in the conflict.

Putin instructed his forces to halt hostilities starting from 6 p.m. Moscow time (1500 GMT) until midnight on Sunday.

The announcement came during a televised address in which Putin spoke directly to Russia’s chief of general staff, Valery Gerasimov, outlining the terms of the pause.

"An Easter truce"

"Today from 1800 (1500 GMT) to midnight Sunday (2100 GMT Sunday), the Russian side announces an Easter truce," Putin said in televised comments.

The move is intended to honor the religious significance of the Orthodox holiday, traditionally observed with reflection and peace.

Hopes for reciprocal calm

While the ceasefire is unilateral, Putin expressed hope that Ukraine would mirror the gesture.

However, the Russian president also made it clear that his military must remain vigilant. He instructed Gerasimov to prepare for any potential violations.

Trump issues ultimatum to warring parties

The ceasefire declaration came just hours after the US President delivered a stern warning to Moscow and Kyiv, stating that the United States would withdraw from brokering peace talks if there is no visible progress soon.

"Very shortly," Trump replied when asked whether the US would exit the process. "No specific number of days, but quickly. We want to get it done." He added that if either Russia or Ukraine made negotiations unworkable, the U.S. would “just take a pass.”

"You're foolish, you're horrible people"

In unusually sharp language, Trump criticised potential spoilers to the peace process:

"Now if for some reason one of the two parties makes it very difficult, we're just going to say: 'You're foolish. You're fools. You're horrible people' — and we're going to just take a pass."

Asked if he believed Putin was stalling, Trump said: "I hope not… I’ll let you know soon."

He also emphasised, "Nobody’s playing me. I’m trying to help… I know when people are playing us, and I know when they’re not."

Trump had previously boasted that he could end the war within 24 hours if he were in charge, a claim he later clarified as sarcastic. Despite this, the President reiterated his commitment to finding a diplomatic solution while expressing frustration with the drawn-out conflict.

The conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, has now entered its fourth year.