US would welcome extension of Russia's Easter ceasefire in Ukraine
Photo: A soldier of the Ukrainian Defense Forces (illustrative photo, facebook.com/MinistryofDefenceUA)
The United States has expressed support for a possible extension of the ceasefire in Ukraine after Easter, reports Reuters.
The US State Department said it would welcome an extension beyond Sunday of the one-day Easter ceasefire declared by Russian President Vladimir Putin. This comes despite earlier statements from the Kremlin that no order had been issued to prolong it.
A State Department spokesperson said they had seen President Putin’s announcement of a temporary Easter ceasefire. He emphasized that the United States remains committed to achieving a full and comprehensive ceasefire in Ukraine.
"As we assess their seriousness in this instance, we would welcome it extending beyond Sunday," the spokesperson said.
Putin’s Easter ceasefire
As a reminder, on April 19, 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a 30-hour Easter ceasefire in Ukraine. It was set to last from 6:00 PM Moscow time until midnight on April 20.
Ukrainian officials, including President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, immediately expressed skepticism about the initiative. As it turned out, fighting resumed almost immediately after the truce was declared, particularly in the eastern part of the country.
In addition, according to Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Center for Counteracting Disinformation, Russia is using the tactic of information operations. This involves announcing a willingness to agree to a ceasefire.
Earlier today, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that no extension of the Easter ceasefire was planned. This, he said, shows that Russia is not genuinely ready for a long-term ceasefire.
For more details on the Russian proposal and Ukraine's reaction, read RBC-Ukraine's report.
