Zelenskyy offers month-long ceasefire, but Putin's silence drags on the war
Photo: President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine is prepared for a full and unconditional ceasefire that could last at least a month, but Russia has yet to respond.
"The Ukrainian army is acting – and will continue to act – in a fully symmetrical manner. This Easter has clearly demonstrated that the only source of this war, and the reason it drags on, is Russia," Zelenskyy said.
According to Zelenskyy, Ukraine is ready to move toward peace and a full, "unconditional and honest ceasefire" that could last at least 30 days. However, there has still been no response from Russia regarding this issue.
That’s why, in the president’s view, international partners must step up pressure on Russia to achieve peace in Ukraine.
"The situation on the frontline shows that pressure on Moscow and real oversight of the occupying forces are needed for the ceasefire to be established," the Ukrainian president said.
Easter ceasefire
As a reminder, yesterday, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the Easter ceasefire. According to him, it would be in effect from 6:00 PM (Moscow time) on April 19 until midnight on April 21.
Putin also claimed he had ordered all military operations to stop.
However, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, reported to the President that between 6:00 PM (Kyiv time) yesterday and midnight today, Russia carried out 387 shelling attacks and launched 19 assault operations. Russian forces also used drones 290 times.
There is also a growing trend of increased use of heavy weapons by Russia. Between the start of the day and 4:00 PM (Kyiv time) on April 20, there were 46 Russian assaults across various fronts and 901 shelling attacks. Of those, 448 involved heavy weaponry. More than 400 instances of FPV drone use by Russian forces have already been recorded, Zelenskyy said.
Full ceasefire in Ukraine
Earlier this year, Ukraine and Russia had already reached an agreement — brokered by the United States — to halt strikes on energy and port infrastructure. The so-called truce took effect on March 25.
But just days later, Russia violated the agreement and launched strikes on Ukrainian power facilities.
However, in early April, US Special Envoy to Ukraine Keith Kellogg said Ukraine and Russia were close to agreeing on a full ceasefire.
And just yesterday, reports suggested that a full ceasefire agreement could be reached in London as early as next week.
