Russia has declared an Easter truce. What the media is writing

The announcement by Russian President Vladimir Putin of a truce for the Easter celebrations has confused Kiev's cards. What the foreign press writes about the reason for the decision to cease fire and Ukraine's readiness for a temporary truce is in the Izvestia digest.

Sky News: "Easter truce" was a reaction to the threat of the United States

Vladimir Putin's announcement of the "Easter truce" came after US President Donald Trump and his administration made it clear that the United States could abandon peace talks if there was no progress in the near future.

The comments came after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said yesterday that the US would "simply abandon" peace mediation if there were no clear signs of progress in the coming days. He clarified that it was about a few days.

Washington Post: Putin announces temporary ceasefire in Ukraine for humanitarian reasons

Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine for Easter, citing humanitarian concerns. The statement was made on the same day that the Russian Ministry of Defense announced that Ukrainian troops had been driven out of one of the last remaining bridgeheads in the Kursk region.

Putin intends to assume that "the Ukrainian side will follow" this example, and clarified that "in the event of a violation of the truce and provocations by the enemy," troops should be ready to repel the enemy's actions.

Action by the strong: Putin announces Easter truce until April 21

Russia suspends all military operations and counts on a reciprocal gesture from Ukraine

Bloomberg: Putin ordered a cease-fire in Ukraine for 30 hours

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered a short-term 30-hour pause in fighting in Ukraine that will cover Easter Sunday, although he continues to resist U.S. pressure for a 30-day cease-fire.

Trump expressed growing frustration with the pace of negotiations with Putin, but demonstrated his determination to conclude a deal to end the conflict. The United States is open to recognizing Crimea as part of Russia in accordance with the peace agreement with Ukraine, Bloomberg reported earlier on Saturday, citing sources familiar with the situation. The Easter truce will demonstrate Ukraine's readiness for peace, Putin said, adding that he supports Trump's efforts to achieve a settlement of the conflict. On Saturday, Moscow said it had driven Ukrainian troops from a village in Russia's Kursk region, leaving only one settlement in Ukrainian-controlled territory.

The New York Times: truce will shed light on Kiev's intentions

President Putin ordered his troops to "cease all military operations" in Ukraine from Saturday evening to Sunday, declaring an "Easter truce" that appeared aimed at showing an impatient Trump administration that Moscow remains open to peace talks.

There was no immediate response from Ukraine. Earlier, Russia announced a unilateral truce for the Orthodox Christmas in January 2023, then Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky rejected this idea, calling it a cynical position designed to allow Russia to transfer soldiers and equipment. Shortly after Putin's comment was published, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that Russian troops would observe the Easter cease-fire "subject to its mutual observance by the Kiev regime."

Der Spiegel: Putin declared a truce after the Ukrainian Armed Forces were ousted from the Kursk region

On the occasion of Easter, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a cease-fire by Russian troops. He justified this step on "humanitarian grounds" and called on Ukraine to lay down its arms during this period. This year, Easter of the Orthodox Church coincides with Easter of the Catholic and Protestant Churches.

President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky expressed skepticism about Putin's statement. Recently, Washington has increased pressure on the parties to the conflict, demanding that they begin peace talks as soon as possible. US President Donald Trump has made it clear that he would like to see an agreement "very soon", otherwise his administration may abandon its efforts. He did not specify exactly how many days this meant. The US President stressed that he was not interested in continuing his mediation efforts if both sides were not ready to compromise.

The Guardian: the parties have repeatedly violated the ceasefire

Unexpectedly, the Russian president announced that he was ordering a temporary cessation of hostilities for "humanitarian reasons and expects Ukraine to follow his example. Ukrainians reacted skeptically, pointing out that the statement was made at the same time as the air raid sounded in the Kiev region.

This came amid reports that the Trump administration is considering recognizing Crimea as Russian territory as part of its attempt to conclude a peace agreement between the two sides. Diplomatic recognition by the United States would violate the UN Charter and the consensus reached after 1945 that countries cannot seize territories by force. A possible concession to Moscow from the White House is likely to provoke criticism from former European allies of the United States and a furious backlash in Ukraine.