Putin doesn’t plan to increase Easter ‘truce,’ Kremlin says

Russian President Vladimir Putin has given no orders to increase the so-called "Easter truce" past midnight on April 21, Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov instructed the Russian state information company TASS.

Moscow's temporary ceasefire allegedly went into impact at 6 p.m. Moscow time on April 19. President Volodymyr Zelensky and soldiers preventing on Ukraine's entrance traces have accused Russia of violating the truce a number of instances.

Peskov instructed reporters on April 20 that there are not any plans to increase the ceasefire past its said expiration level.

"There have been no different orders," he stated when requested about the potential of an extension.

Zelensky responded to Putin's announcement on April 19 by urging Russia to extend the ceasefire beyond Easter and conform to a 30-day truce.

"It will present Russia's true intentions, as a result of 30 hours is sufficient for headlines, however not for actual confidence-building measures. Thirty days can provide peace an opportunity," he stated.

The US in March proposed a 30-day ceasefire on all hostilities in Russia and Ukraine as a preliminary step in peace negotiations. Kyiv instantly agreed to the proposal, with the one requirement being that Russia settle for the identical phrases.

Moscow has constantly pushed again on Washington's requires a full ceasefire, as an alternative demanding extraordinary concessions from Ukraine, reminiscent of an entire halt on all international army assist.

A number of European leaders have referred to as on Putin to just accept an unconditional ceasefire within the wake of his Easter truce declaration.

‘We know what we are fighting for’ — Zelensky’s Easter address to Ukraine in fullPresident Volodymyr Zelensky has lauded Ukraine’s “resilience, compassion, and humanity” in his Easter address on April 20, adding the country’s faith has “not faded over 1,152 days of full-scale war.”The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk