Russian agrees to.temporary cease fire and prisoner swap.

Source Los Angeles Times.

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a temporary Easter ceasefire in Ukraine starting Saturday, citing humanitarian reasons, as Russia and Ukraine swapped hundreds of captured soldiers in the largest exchange since Moscow's full-scale invasion started more than three years ago.

According to the Kremlin, the ceasefire will last from 6 p.m. Moscow time Saturday to midnight following Easter Sunday.

“We assume that the Ukrainian side will follow our example. At the same time, our troops must be ready to repel possible violations of the truce and provocations from the enemy, any of its aggressive actions,” Putin said at a meeting with Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov in a video shared by the Kremlin’s Press Service.

Baby steps but a cease fire order is in place.

Britain urges Russia to commit to a 30 day cease fire.

April 19 (Reuters) - Britain has urged Russia to commit to a full ceasefire in Ukraine, "not just a one-day pause", its foreign ministry said in a statement on Saturday.
Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier in the day declared a unilateral 30-hour Easter ceasefire in Ukraine, after Washington said it might abandon peace talks within days unless Moscow and Kyiv show they are ready to stop the war.
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"Ukraine has committed to a full ceasefire. We urge Russia to do the same," a British foreign ministry spokesperson said, adding that a pause would enable negotiations for a just and enduring peace.

Putin has a history of lying.  Zelensky says Russian attacks continue despite Putin declared ceasefire.

Yes Putin stated as much in a press conference in Belarus. With a front of 1500 kilometers and the conscripts Wagner factions and a complete line of new top generals on the field

 It is hard to communicate with all factions on a cease fire order. Some outfits are completely removed from communication with Moscow. 

That being said the vast majority of conflict has been silent on the eastern front and no new missile strikes air missile or drones have occured from within Russian proper to Ukraine during Easter. 

57 artillery shells in 5 assaults came from Russia side of the Frontline.

Put this in context 5000 shells and 100 assaults on any other day.

Update

Washington DC State department.

The US State Department on Sunday said it would welcome any decision to extend a one-day Easter ceasefire declared by Russian President Vladimir Putin even though the Kremlin earlier indicated no such extension had been ordered.

“We have noted President Putin’s statement regarding a temporary Easter ceasefire. The United States remains committed to securing a full and comprehensive cessation of hostilities,” a State Department spokesperson said.

“We would view an extension beyond Sunday as a positive step, should it materialise.”

Ukraine’s air force reported no overnight missile strikes or drone launches. However, Zelenskyy maintained that Russian attacks persisted on the front after the ceasefire officially began.

Source of information.

https://www.firstpost.com/world/us-says-it-would-welcome-extension-of-russias-easter-ceasefire-in-ukraine-13881505.html

"Ukraine proposes to cease any strikes using long-range drones and missiles on civilian infrastructure for a period of at least 30 days, with the possibility of extension,” Zelenskyy outlined

Reuters was unable to immediately verify the battlefield reports from either side.

The European Union reacted cautiously to Putin's ceasefire declaration, saying Moscow could stop the war immediately if it wanted to.

Easter falls on the same day this year for Orthodox and Western churches, and Zelenskyy urged Ukrainians not to give up hope that peace will one day return.

Source of information.

https://tvpworld.com/86275955/ukraine-calls-for-30-day-ceasefire-on-civilian-targets

there were no air raid alerts today. Hence, this is a format of ceasefire that has been achieved and that is the easiest to extend. Ukraine proposes to cease any strikes using long-range drones and missiles on civilian infrastructure for a period of at least 30 days, with the possibility of extension. If Russia does not agree to such a step, it will be proof that it intends to continue doing only those things which destroy human lives and prolong the war.

Source of information. Volodymyr Zelenskyy / ????????? ??????????

@ZelenskyyUa

A report by Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi as of 8:00 p.m. on Easter Day.

X media group formerly Twitter.

Andrii Sybiha  Foreign Minister Ukraine 
@andrii_sybiha
Regarding the so-called “Easter Ceasefire”, we have still not heard Moscow’s response to our proposal to extend the ceasefire to 30 days.

Although there has been some reduction in combat activity yesterday and today, Russian forces have continued to attack Ukrainian positions. Ukraine is responding appropriately and responsibly, and we are reciprocating both fire where it occurs and the silence where it holds.

However, the main issue is that yesterday Ukraine proposed to extend the ceasefire beyond midnight. We are prepared for a 30-day  ceasefire if Russia reciprocates. 

Tass russia state tv reported 3 hours ago.

MOSCOW, April 20. /TASS/. The Easter truce between Russia and Ukraine will expire this night as Russian President Vladimir Putin has not ordered to extend it, Putin’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov told TASS.

Putin announced an Easter truce at a meeting with Russian Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov on Saturday. The ceasefire is in force for 30 hours, from 6:00 p.m. Moscow time (3:00 p.m. GMT) on April 19 until 00:00 Moscow time (9:00 p.m. GMT) on April 21.

"There have been no other orders," Peskov said when asked whether the ceasefire could by extended.

MOSCOW, April 20. /TASS/. The Easter truce between Russia and Ukraine will expire this night as Russian President Vladimir Putin has not ordered to extend it, Putin’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov told TASS.

Putin announced an Easter truce at a meeting with Russian Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov on Saturday. The ceasefire is in force for 30 hours, from 6:00 p.m. Moscow time (3:00 p.m. GMT) on April 19 until 00:00 Moscow time (9:00 p.m. GMT) on April 21.

"There have been no other orders," Peskov said when asked whether the ceasefire could by extended.

Source Kashmir reader .

MOSCOW: President Vladimir Putin and Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin joined other worshippers for an Easter service led by the head of Russia’s Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, a faithful backer of the Russian leader and an advocate for the war in Ukraine.

Hours after declaring a unilateral Easter ceasefire that Kyiv said was just words as fighting continued, Putin and Sobyanin stood in Moscow’s main church, the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, while Kirill led a procession, video of the service showed.

Holding a lit thin red candle and donning a dark suit, white shirt and a red tie as in years past, the Russian leader crossed himself several times when Kirill announced “Christ is risen.”

The traditionally sung service starts late on a Saturday and lasts into the early hours of Sunday.

For Putin, the Orthodox faith is central to his world view and he always attends services during major church holidays. For Orthodox Russians, Easter is the most important religious holiday.

https://kashmirreader.com/2025/04/21/putin-attends-orthodox-easter-service-after-ceasefire/

Update. Washington.

Trump has pitched any end to the fighting as a precursor to both countries doing ‘BIG BUSINESS’ with the US

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/ukraine-russia-war-putin-zelensky-easter-truce-latest-news-b2736321.html

Avatar

Donald J. Trump

@realDonaldTrump

·

1h

HOPEFULLY RUSSIA AMD UKRAINE WILL MAKE A DEAL THIS WEEK. BOTH WILL THEN START TO DO BIG BUSINESS WITH THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, WHICH IS THRIVING, AND MAKE A FORTUNE!

Source https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump

1 hour ago.

Battlefield reports are usually hard to verify.  But according to Reuters, Ukraine and Russia accuse each other of hundreds (or thousands) of violations in 30 hours ceasefire.  If a Easter ceasefire fails, a long term ceasefire appears harder to achieve.

Recap of the unexpected cease fire .

Zelenskyy said, "Ukraine proposes to cease any strikes using long-range drones and missiles on civilian infrastructure for a period of at least 30 days."

Russia's state-run Tass news agency quoted Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov as saying that the president did not order an extension of the ceasefire.

President Donald Trump stated

HOPEFULLY RUSSIA AMD UKRAINE WILL MAKE A DEAL THIS WEEK. BOTH WILL THEN START TO DO BIG BUSINESS WITH THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, WHICH IS THRIVING, AND MAKE A FORTUNE!

MOSCOW: President Vladimir Putin and Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin joined other worshippers for an Easter service led by the head of Russia’s Orthodox Church

Asked about extending the truce.

"There have been no other orders," Peskov said

Andrii Sybiha Foreign Minister Ukraine 

@andrii_sybiha

Stated the main issue is that yesterday Ukraine proposed to extend the ceasefire beyond midnight. We are prepared for a 30-day ceasefire if Russia reciprocates. 

Volodymyr Zelenskyy states 

there were no air raid alerts today. Hence, this is a format of ceasefire that has been achieved and that is the easiest to extend. Ukraine proposes to cease any strikes using long-range drones and missiles on civilian infrastructure for a period of at least 30 days

United States spokesperson said.

“We have noted President Putin’s statement regarding a temporary Easter ceasefire. The United States remains committed to securing a full and comprehensive cessation of hostilities,” a State Department spokesperson said.

“We would view an extension beyond Sunday as a positive step, should it materialise.”

Britain responded yesterday with.

April 19 (Reuters) - Britain has urged Russia to commit to a full ceasefire in Ukraine, "not just a one-day pause", its foreign ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

What went right. No drones missiles air strikes or artillery was launched from the Russian nation.

there were no air raid alerts today.

What went wrong. 

Russia's defense ministry posted a message on social media. It said that its military strictly observed the ceasefire after it took effect.

But it claimed that Ukrainian troops used guns and mortars to hit Russian positions 444 times. The ministry added that Ukraine's troops carried out 900 quadcopter-type drone strikes.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also posted a message on social media. He said Russia's forces conducted 67 assaults against his country's positions on Sunday. He added that they also carried out 1,355 shelling attacks.

The president said that in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk and the western Russian region of Kursk,

What is next Saturday a new round of negotiations begin in London.

Russia re started offensive in Ukraine.

https://youtu.be/1rukTfle0Mw?si=ldsNy8I8vJP-jelL

Follow up.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/for-1st-time-in-years-vladimir-putin-says-russia-open-to-direct-peace-talks-with-ukraine-101745261197126.html

Timeless ne update London talks now slated for Wednesday not Saturday as previously reported 

Speaking to a Russian state TV reporter, Putin said that fighting in Ukraine had resumed after the surprise 30-hour Easter ceasefire, which he and subsequently Ukraine had announced on Saturday.

The Russian president said that Moscow was open to any peace initiatives and expected the same from Kyiv, a Reuters report said.

‘Negotiations, discussions' with Ukraine
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters, as per Interfax news agency, "When the president said that it was possible to discuss the issue of not striking civilian targets, including bilaterally, the president had in mind negotiations and discussions with the Ukrainian side."

Peskov made no comments with regards to US President Donald Trump's remark on the possibilities of a peace deal soon, "especially about the timeframe".

"President Putin and the Russian side remain open to seeking a peaceful settlement. We are continuing to work with the American side and, of course, we hope that will work will yield results," he added.

The US also said that it would welcome an extension of the truce between the two countries.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that Kyiv was sending a delegation to London to meet with the US and other Western countries' officials on Wednesday.

The London talks will be a follow-up to the meeting that took place in Paris last week, wherein the US and the European states discussed ways to bring an end to the more than three year-long war.

Notably, Zelensky, who also called for an 30-day extension of the ceasefire on civilian targets, said that Russian attacks continued during Saturday's truce, showing that Moscow intended on prolonging the war.

In his X post, announcing his delegation for the London talks, Zelensky made no reference to Putin's bilateral talks invite

Ukraine, the United Kingdom, France, and the United States -- we are ready to move forward as constructively as possible, just as we have done before, to achieve an unconditional ceasefire followed by the establishment of a real and lasting peace," the Ukrainian president wrote.

Update.

Putin willing to engage directly with Zelensky over civilian cease fire arrangements.

Furthering discussion to a complete armistice.

Vladimir Putin has said for the first time in years that he is open to bilateral talks with Ukraine – having previously demanded Volodymyr Zelenskyy be replaced before it could happen. Zelenskyy, whom Putin has falsely called an illegitimate president, meanwhile said Kyiv was prepared for any discussion to halt attacks on civilian targets. The Ukrainian president, in his nightly video address, said: “Ukraine maintains its proposal not to strike at the very least civilian targets. And we are expecting a clear response from Moscow. We are ready for any conversation about how to achieve this.”

Putin, speaking to Russian state TV, said: “We have always talked about this, that we have a positive attitude towards any peace initiatives. We hope that representatives of the Kyiv regime will feel the same way.” However, Putin has previously stipulated that elections must be held in Ukraine to elect a new president who would be his interlocutor. Elections are not permitted under the Ukrainian constitution while the country is, unavoidably, in a state of martial law.

Putin and Zelenskyy face pressure from the Trump administration in the US which has threatened to walk away from its peace efforts unless some progress is achieved. There have been no direct talks between the two sides since the early weeks after Russia’s February 2022 invasion.

Source. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/apr/22/ukraine-war-briefing-putin-suddenly-open-to-bilateral-talks-with-kyiv-regime

Recap of the two leaders statements to the state media today .

The Ukrainian president, in his nightly video address, said: “Ukraine maintains its proposal not to strike at the very least civilian targets. And we are expecting a clear response from Moscow. We are ready for any conversation about how to achieve this.”

Putin, speaking to Russian state TV, said: “We have always talked about this, that we have a positive attitude towards any peace initiatives. We hope that representatives of the Kyiv regime will feel the same way.”

According to the Interfax News Agency, Kremlin spokesman Dimitri Peskov told the media, “When the President said that it was possible to discuss the issue of not attacking the civil goals including bilaterals, the President had talks and discussions with the Ukrainian side.”

This was stated today 1 hr ago.

Recap yesterday.

Zelenskyy said, "Ukraine proposes to cease any strikes using long-range drones and missiles on civilian infrastructure for a period of at least 30 days."

https://www.connexionblog.com/2025/04/22/good-news-is-coming-on-russia-ukraine-war-putin-showed-a-desire-for-peace-talks-for-the-first-time-in-years/

For the first time since the start of the war between Ukraine and Russia, President Vladimir Putin on Monday proposed bilateral talks with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky. The development comes as the United States, Ukraine and some European allies gather in London to hold talks for a deal to halt Russia’s full-scale invasion.

Trump stated on truth social yesterday.

President Donald Trump stated

HOPEFULLY RUSSIA AMD UKRAINE WILL MAKE A DEAL THIS WEEK. 

https://www.livemint.com/news/in-a-first-vladimir-putin-proposes-bilateral-talks-with-ukraines-zelensky-ahead-of-us-peace-talks-11745284706383.html