Russia announces surprise ‘Easter truce’ with Ukraine

In a surprise move, Russia’s president said he was ordering a temporary halt to the fighting out of “humanitarian considerations”. He added he expected Ukraine to follow suit and said this would be a test of whether the “regime” in Kyiv was interested in peace.

Putin’s made his remarks in a meeting with Russia’s commander-in-chief Valery Gerasimov, which was broadcast on state television. Ukrainians reacted sceptically, pointing out the announcement was made at the same time as an air raid alert sounded across the Kyiv region.

Russia has broken numerous ceasefire since its 2014 covert invasion of eastern Ukraine. Unlike Ukraine, it has refused to implement a 30-day pause in fighting proposed more than a month ago by the Trump administration.

Speaking on Saturday, Putin stated Kyiv was guilty of violating a deal “100 times” to refrain from attacking Russian energy infrastructure. He commanded Gerasimov to prepare an “immediate response” if this were to happen again.

It came amid reports that the the Donald Trump administration is considering recognising Crimea as a Russian territory as part of its attempt to broker a peace deal between the two sides.

US diplomatic recognition would violate the UN charter and the post-1945 consensus that countries cannot seize territory by force. Most states have refused to recognise Russia’s illegal takeover.

The possible concession to Moscow from the White House is likely to provoke criticism from the US’s one-time European allies and a furious backlash in Ukraine. It comes as Trump said on Friday the US may “move on” if no peace deal can be agreed.

“Now if for some reason one of the two parties makes it very difficult, we’re just going to say you’re foolish. You are fools, you horrible people,” Trump declared, adding: “And we’re going to just take a pass. But, hopefully, we won’t have to do that.”

It is also considering lifting sanctions on Moscow and other “carrots”, the New York Post reported. By contrast, Trump has heaped pressure on Ukraine, in effect cutting off military assistance and demanding a share of the country’s lucrative mineral wealth.

Russia’s apparent tactic is to restate its maximalist demands while stepping up its offensive on the battlefield. In talks with Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, Putin has insisted on President Volodymyr Zelensky’s removal, Ukraine’s demilitarisation and its “neutral” non-NATO status.

Ukraine appears willing to accept a freeze of the conflict along the existing 1,000km-long (620 miles) frontline. But Zelensky has categorically rejected Witkoff’s recent comment that Crimea and four other Ukrainian provinces should be given permanently to Russia.

“I do not see any mandate for him [Witkoff] to speak about Ukrainian territories. These lands belong to our people, to our nation and to the future generations of Ukrainians,” Zelensky stressed last week.

A peace deal will only work if the Russians stop fighting, US officials told Bloomberg.

“Negotiations will be fruitless if the Kremlin does not agree to cease hostilities. Providing Ukraine with security guarantees is an integral part of any agreement,” one reportedly acknowledged.

The source added no final decision over Crimea had been made. Since the US ceasefire proposal and ahead of Saturday’s “Easter truce”, Putin has stepped up attacks on Ukrainian civilians and infrastructure.

Russia has run Crimea for more than 11 years, transforming it from a holiday resort into a major military centre. It was used as a springboard for Putin’s full-scale 2022 invasion. Armoured columns seized large parts of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia provinces, as well as the city of Mariupol.

Ukraine regularly targets Russian army and naval bases in Crimea. It has bombed the headquarters of Russia’s Black Sea fleet in the port of Sevastopol, using British Storm Shadow missiles. It has also targeted the bridge linking the peninsula to Russia with drones and a car bomb.