War in Ukraine: Easter fire break: Is Putin serious?

The announcement comes completely suddenly on Holy Saturday: Kremlin boss Vladimir Putin says that the Russian side wants to stop all hostilities for 30 hours in its war against Ukraine. At the same time, rocket alarm is triggered in Kyiv. Ukraine reacts with skepticism to Putin’s announcement.

What was communicated in Moscow?

The Kremlin said that Putin had ordered the Russian side to stop all hostilities from 6:00 p.m. Moscow time (5 p.m. CEST) until midnight on Easter Sunday. However, the Ministry of Defense said that the ceasefire was only met by the troops on the condition that the Ukrainian armed forces also adhered to it.

President Wolodymyr Selenskyj skeptically commented on Putin’s announcement. At first he did not show whether Ukraine would also stick to the fire break. In the first reactions, Ukrainian media quoted experts who only saw a propaganda trick in Putin’s announcement.

Selenskyj described what happened around the announcement in Ukraine: “As for Putin’s new attempt to play with human life, the air alarm sounds particularly in many parts of Ukraine.” Russian fight drones in the sky above Ukraine were spotted 45 minutes before the fire break came into force. Ukraine’s air defense has already opened the fire. “Shahehed drones in our sky expose Putin’s true attitude towards Easter and lives,” criticized Selenskyj.

The Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrij Sybiha said: “We know that we cannot trust his words and that we look at the deeds, and not the words.” The war only started because of Russia and continues to continue because of Moscow, he emphasized.

Have you ever had a fire break?

As early as January 2023, Putin had arranged a one -sided, a half -day fire break for the Orthodox Christmas. At that time, this had been interpreted by Kyiv as a fine so that Moscow wins time for troops.

Does Russia really let the weapons be silent?

After more than three years of war and also in view of the latest developments, hopes for it are not too great. A few weeks ago, US mediators with Russia and Ukraine had agreed in separate conversations that no objects of the energy infrastructure should be bombarded. Putin gave the command on March 18 after a phone call to US President Donald Trump. Moscow then accused Ukraine of not sticking to the agreement and continued the attacks.

Ukraine observer Nico Lange warned on platform X to believe Putin’s words. “We know Putin’s screenplay: Announcing big Easter caffeine, then accusing Ukraine that it would have provoked or broken the ceasefire.”

What could I hope for from the announcement?

A breathing space: The Russian armed forces had expanded their regional conquests in the east of Ukraine only slowly and with high losses in the past few months. In addition, the reconquest of the Russian border areas occupied by Ukrainian soldiers at Kursk volunteered many forces that could now be moved to other front sections.

Putin should also hope for even greater favor of US President Donald Trump. He had only requested the willingness to compromise on both sides on Saturday – which the Kremlin chief will now claim.

What is the stance of the United States?

Trump’s government recently increased the pressure on the parties to the conflict significantly. Foreign Minister Marco Rubio recently made it clear that the United States wanted to take off within days, whether its efforts to settle the conflict were still worthwhile whether the war could even be terminated. Trump himself made it clear that he was expecting compromises from both sides if they wanted to continue teaching the United States.

What would an end of the US placement attempts mean?

That is completely unclear. Under no circumstances is the United States to return to the role of the strong supporter of Ukraine, as in Joe Biden’s government. Rather, Trump could pursue his course of rapprochement with Russia. This is a reading of the words of Foreign Minister Rubio, who had said if an end to the war did not appear feasible, “then we just have to move on”.

The United States has drastically changed its course in Ukraine policy since Trump has been president again. They were the most important supporter of the attacked country under bidges. The Republican Trump had always portrayed it as if it were easy to end the war that has been lasting for more than three years. But even after three months in office, he did not succeed.