Zelenskyy quickly responded to Putin's Easter ceasefire proposal
"Ukraine has repeatedly stated that we are ready to take reciprocal measures. We had previously proposed a ceasefire during the Easter holiday this year and will act accordingly. The people deserve an Easter free from threats, as well as a tangible progress toward peace. Russia has the opportunity to permanently cease hostilities after Easter, rather than restarting attacks."
Zelenskyy expressed willingness for a reciprocal ceasefire, while seizing the moment to urge Russia to halt fighting permanently and move toward peace—not just a one-day truce. Zelenskyy aims to "achieve much with little," elevating Putin’s tactical proposal into a test of Russia’s strategic intentions, and transforming the “holiday ceasefire” into the starting point of a peace process.
However, Putin is more likely to view the Easter ceasefire as a limited, controllable tactical gesture. With military operations already highly inefficient during the spring mud season, a quiet 32-hour pause makes strategic sense.
The core issue underlying the Ukraine-Russia conflict today is a "trust trap"—any ceasefire proposal from either side is instantly perceived by the other as a tactic to gain time or divert attention. The fundamental question remains: if even symbolic truces during religious holidays cannot be sustained, where can the "tangible progress" toward peace possibly begin?
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1862035190436012/
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