Putin Announces Ceasefire For Orthodox Easter, Zelenskyy Agrees

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a ceasefire with Ukraine for the duration of the Orthodox Easter holidays.

"By the decision of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief...V.V. Putin, in connection with the approaching Orthodox feast of Easter (the Resurrection of Christ), a ceasefire is declared from 16:00 (13:00 GMT) on 11 April until the end of the day on 12 April 2026," the Kremlin's statement said.

Following Kyiv's earlier proposal for a pause in hostilities, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy soon posted on X that Ukraine was "ready for symmetrical steps".

Putin's announcement ​was similar to a 30-hour ceasefire he ordered last year. Each side accused the other of violating ​it.

"We proceed on the basis that the Ukrainian side will follow the ​example of the Russian Federation," the Kremlin announcement said.

The announcement said Defence Minister Andrei Belousov had issued an order to ​Russia's top commander, Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov, "to stop for this period military action in all directions".

"Troops are to be ready to eliminate all possible provocations by the enemy as well as any aggressive actions."

Zelenskiy said Ukraine had repeatedly proposed a halt ​to fighting for Orthodox Easter.

"Ukraine has repeatedly stated that we are ready for reciprocal steps. We proposed a ​ceasefire during the Easter holiday this year and will act accordingly," Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram.

"People need an Easter without threats and a ‌real ⁠move towards peace, and Russia has a chance not to return to attacks even after Easter," he added.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also told Russian state news agency TASS that Putin's ceasefire proposal had not been discussed in advance with the United States and nor was it linked to any notion of resuming three-way talks on a settlement.

With inputs from Reuters.