Putin’s cynical Easter ceasefire stunt backfires as Zelenskyy calls his bluff

Russian President Vladimir Putin caught everyone by surprise during the recent Easter holidays by unexpectedly announcing a 30-hour ceasefire to briefly pause the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The proposed lull in fighting was timed to cover traditional Orthodox festivities on Easter Sunday, with the apparent aim of reviving Putin’s own increasingly dubious peacemaker credentials while shifting the blame for the lack of progress in US-led peace talks firmly onto Ukraine.

The hasty announcement of an Easter ceasefire came after weeks of mounting frustration in Washington DC over Russia’s refusal to join Ukraine in backing American calls for an unconditional ceasefire. With US President Donald Trump complaining about Moscow’s stalling tactics and suggesting that he may soon abandon negotiations altogether, Putin appears to have decided that a change in narrative was urgently required. His solution was to unilaterally declare a temporary truce on what is one of the holiest days of the year for Russians and Ukrainians.

If the goal of Putin’s Easter ceasefire gambit was to position Ukraine as the main obstacle to peace, it appears to have backfired. Far from rejecting Russia’s last minute ceasefire proposal, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy quickly agreed. “If Russia is now suddenly ready to truly engage in a format of full and unconditional silence, Ukraine will act accordingly, mirroring Russia’s actions,” he commented in a social media post outlining Ukraine’s position.

Crucially, Zelenskyy also called Putin’s bluff by issuing his own counter-proposal to significantly extend the ceasefire. “If a complete ceasefire truly takes hold, Ukraine proposes extending it beyond Easter Day. This will reveal Russia’s true intentions, because 30 hours is enough to make headlines, but not for genuine confidence-building measures. Thirty days could give peace a chance,” the Ukrainian leader commented.

Zelenskyy has since expanded on his call for a more comprehensive ceasefire agreement. On Easter Day, he said Russia and Ukraine should both implement a month-long pause on all missile and drone attacks against civilian infrastructure. Putin has not yet provided a definite answer to Zelenskyy’s proposal, but he has suggested that he may be open to bilateral talks with Ukraine on the issue. It is far from certain whether this dialogue will lead to any meaningful action, but the Ukrainian leader has already succeeded in demonstrating his constructive approach to the peace process.