Putin Declares Easter Ceasefire in Ukraine Amid Talks

Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine, which will last until the end of Sunday, according to Russian media reports. This move follows recent comments from US President Donald Trump, who stated that the US would "take a pass" on facilitating further peace talks if either Russia or Ukraine made negotiations "very difficult." Trump expressed that he was not expecting a resolution within a specific timeframe but emphasized his hope for a quick agreement.

Earlier, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had warned that the US might abandon its mediation efforts if no progress was seen in the coming days.

Although the US had initially proposed a 30-day ceasefire, Moscow has added several conditions. Ukraine had previously agreed to the US-mediated plan, with Rubio stating that the responsibility now lies with Moscow.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has not yet commented on Putin's latest announcement. However, on Thursday, he condemned new missile attacks on Ukrainian territory. "This is how Russia began this Good Friday – with ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and Shaheds, injuring our people and damaging our cities," he posted on X.

Putin's ceasefire announcement comes amid growing US frustration with the stalled peace talks. President Trump has yet to comment on Putin's latest move.