Russian President Vladimir Putin announced Thursday evening a 32-hour ceasefire with Ukraine for the two-day Orthodox Easter weekend.
The Kremlin stated the ceasefire will begin on Saturday at 4 p.m. Moscow time and continue through Sunday, according to The New York Times.
The statement noted that “orders have been issued for this period to cease hostilities in all directions.”
“We assume that the Ukrainian side will follow the example of the Russian Federation,” the Kremlin said, adding that “troops are to be prepared to counter any possible provocations by the enemy, as well as any aggressive actions,” according to The Associated Press.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on social media that he proposed an Easter weekend ceasefire several times and “will act accordingly.” However, it was not immediately clear if Kyiv agreed to Russia’s specific timeline.
“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, according to NBC News.
Zelenskyy shared that he has proposed a halt to fighting several times previously, but Moscow has rejected those offers. Most recently, he suggested that both countries stop targeting energy infrastructure over the holiday, an offer he made through the United States, which has been mediating discussions between delegations from Moscow and Ukraine, according to The Associated Press.
Will the ceasefire hold?
In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Services on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, rescue workers put out a fire of a building destroyed by a Russian strike on Novhorod-Siverskyi, Chernihiv region, Ukraine. | Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP
Previous attempts at ceasefires have had minimal impact and were largely ignored. This weekend’s Easter proposal is similar to a temporary pause suggested last year around the holiday, though both sides accused the other of violating the truce, according to NBC News.
Zelenskyy accused Moscow of nearly 3,000 violations during that time. Russian attacks in that 30-hour window killed at least three people and injured three more, according to The New York Times. Conversely, Putin accused Ukraine of violating the ceasefire almost 5,000 times.
However, Russia maintained that it “strictly observed the ceasefire and remained at previously occupied lines and positions.” Even if both sides observe the pause this year, the break is unlikely to lead to lasting peace, according to The New York Times.
Where peace negotiations stand
U.S.-led negotiations have made little progress. As Washington’s attention has shifted to the Middle East, the Russian and Ukrainian armies continue to battle, according to The Associated Press.
Zelenskyy said the recent truce in that conflict could open a window to resume talks, The New York Times reported.
NBC News reported that Russia did not discuss the Easter holiday ceasefire with the U.S. in advance.
Why do Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter this week?
While Western Christians celebrated Easter last week, Orthodox Christians are observing Holy Week now due to a calendar difference.
Both traditions observe Easter on the first Sunday after the full moon on or after the spring equinox. When this practice was established, all Christians followed the Julian calendar. In addition to observing the spring equinox dates, Orthodox Christians are sure to observe the holiday after the Jewish Passover as well.
In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII introduced the Gregorian calendar to correct the Julian calendar’s 11-minute miscalculation, which caused seasons to drift out of sync. While Western churches adopted the new calendar, many Orthodox churches in Greece, Cyprus, Russia, Romania and Bulgaria continue to use the Julian calendar for religious holidays. This results in two separate Easter Sunday celebrations, according to History.com.