In a surprising move, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared a unilateral ceasefire in Ukraine to mark Easter, pausing military operations from 6 p.m. Saturday to midnight Sunday, Moscow time. Citing humanitarian reasons, Putin announced the decision during a Kremlin meeting with his military chief, Valery Gerasimov.

"We hope Ukraine will mirror this gesture," Putin said, adding that Russian troops have been instructed to halt combat but remain alert for any violations or provocations.

The announcement came shortly after former U.S. President Donald Trump claimed that negotiations between Russia and Ukraine were nearing a “climactic” phase—though neither Kyiv nor Moscow has confirmed any such development.

Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that its forces had expelled Ukrainian troops from a strategic base in the Kursk region, previously captured during a Ukrainian incursion last year.

Responding to the ceasefire, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed it as a manipulative stunt. “Putin talks peace while his drones still darken our skies,” Zelensky stated, referencing continued air raid alerts across Ukraine. “This is not a gesture of goodwill—it’s another attempt to toy with human life.”