A 30-hour temporary Easter ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine expired at midnight local time on April 21, with both sides accusing each other of failing to uphold the truce. The collapse of the brief pause in hostilities comes as U.S. President Donald Trump urged the two nations to reach an agreement "this week."
Russia's Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova claimed on Saturday that Ukrainian forces violated the truce by launching attacks using U.S.-supplied HIMARS rockets during the Easter period. "Ukraine ignored the ceasefire initiative, continuing hostilities instead of pursuing peace," Zakharova stated, according to Russia's Sputnik News Agency.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy countered on April 20 that Russian troops had committed "multiple breaches" of the ceasefire since its announcement. In a report by The Kyiv Independent, Zelenskyy accused Moscow of exploiting the pause to regroup forces while maintaining attacks on frontline positions.
The truce, proposed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, was set to run from 18:00 Moscow time on April 19 until 00:00 on April 21, coinciding with Orthodox Easter. Putin framed the move as a "unilateral gesture" aimed at fostering peace talks, emphasizing that Kyiv's response would signal its "sincerity and capability" to resolve the crisis.
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov, however, dashed hopes of an extension on Sunday, stating plainly: "There are no further directives" regarding prolonging the ceasefire.
Earlier, Putin had ordered the temporary halt in fighting after receiving a battlefield briefing from General Valery Gerasimov, Chief of Russia's General Staff. The Russian leader reiterated that the pause was intended to allow Orthodox Christians to observe Easter and urged Ukraine to reciprocate.
Amid the fraying truce, U.S. President Donald Trump weighed in on social media, writing: Hope Russia and Ukraine make a deal this week. His remarks, though vague, echoed his longstanding calls for a negotiated end to the conflict.
Analysts note that the failed ceasefire underscores deepening mistrust between the warring sides, even as international pressure mounts for diplomatic breakthroughs. With frontline clashes resuming, prospects for near-term peace talks appear increasingly dim.
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