The proposal for a 30-hour Easter ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, suggested by Russia, ultimately fell through due to mutual attacks. In this context, U.S. President Donald Trump has proposed the possibility of reaching a ceasefire agreement this week, drawing attention to its potential success. Trump took to Truth Social on the 20th, expressing hope that Russia and Ukraine would reach a ceasefire agreement this week, suggesting that such a move could lead to prosperous business dealings with the U.S., thereby generating significant wealth.
Trump had previously claimed during his presidential campaign that he could end the conflict within 24 hours. Despite this, negotiations for a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine have been slow. Following his warning on the 18th that he might step away from mediation efforts, there is keen interest in whether Russia and Ukraine will respond to this pressure.
However, with the initial 30-hour ceasefire not being properly adhered to, it is uncertain whether Trump’s pressure will be effective. Russian President Vladimir Putin declared an Easter ceasefire from 6 PM on the 19th until midnight on the 21st, but both sides continued to attack during this period. The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that Ukrainian forces violated the ceasefire over 1,000 times, including 444 artillery strikes and over 900 drone attacks. They claimed there were civilian casualties and damages to civilian infrastructure in border regions like Bryansk, Kursk, and Belgorod.
On the other hand, Ukraine contested that Russia, which unilaterally declared the ceasefire, committed more violations. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, based on a report from Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrsky, wrote on X that Russia attempted to create the impression of adhering to the ceasefire while still attempting limited advances in certain Ukrainian regions. He alleged over 67 Russian attacks, with ceasefire violations exceeding 2,000 instances.
Additionally, the refusal by Russia to extend the ceasefire remains a factor. President Zelensky proposed extending the ceasefire beyond Easter, but the Kremlin announced that President Putin had not issued an order for extension, and the ceasefire would conclude that night.