MOSCOW, April 10, 2026 (BSS/AFP) – Vladimir Putin announced a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine during the Orthodox Easter holidays, the Kremlin said Thursday, following a similar truce proposal from Kyiv.

Volodymyr Zelensky said earlier this week that he had conveyed a holiday ceasefire proposal via the United States, as efforts to end the four-year conflict have stalled amid global geopolitical tensions.

“A ceasefire is declared from 16:00 (13:00 GMT) on April 11 until the end of April 12, 2026,” the Kremlin said in a statement, citing the approaching Orthodox Easter celebrations.

Russia’s General Staff has been ordered to halt combat operations across all fronts during this period, while remaining prepared to respond to any violations.

“We assume that the Ukrainian side will follow the example of the Russian Federation,” the statement added.

Multiple rounds of US-led negotiations have failed to produce a breakthrough, with talks further complicated by shifting international focus toward the Middle East, including tensions involving Iran.

The negotiations remain deadlocked, as Moscow continues to press for territorial and political concessions that Kyiv has rejected as unacceptable.

The ongoing Russia-Ukraine War has resulted in hundreds of thousands of casualties and displaced millions, making it the deadliest conflict in Europe since World War II.