Russia and Ukraine have reached an agreement to implement a temporary truce during the Orthodox Easter holiday, with Russian President Vladimir Putin declaring that he has ordered his forces to stop firing in all directions from 16:00 local time on Saturday, 11 April, through Easter Sunday, according to the BBC.

Zelensky’s Calls Ignored Until Now

The declaration from Moscow came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made repeated calls for a ceasefire, which had been previously ignored by the Kremlin — Zelensky had urged for a pause in hostilities multiple times, but Russia did not respond until now. Putin’s announcement marks a shift in the conflict’s dynamic, according to the BBC.

Putin added that he expected Ukraine to ‘follow the example’ of Russia and implement a reciprocal ceasefire, as he also ordered his forces to be prepared to intercept ‘possible enemy provocations’ and any ‘aggressive actions,’ according to the BBC.

Ukraine’s Response and Skepticism

While Putin’s announcement may attempt to shift the narrative, it is likely to make Ukrainians wary. Russia’s tone and its attempt to take the initiative in the ceasefire process may be viewed with suspicion by Ukrainian leaders and citizens, according to the BBC.

Zelensky soon responded on X. Stating that Ukraine was ‘ready for symmetrical steps.’ He added, ‘People need an Easter free from threats and real movement toward peace, but Russia has a chance not to return to strikes after Easter as well,’ according to the BBC.

Zelensky had earlier this week requested the United States to pass on a proposal for a holiday weekend truce to Moscow as a first step, according to the BBC. Any pause in the fighting would be welcomed by soldiers along the long frontline in eastern Ukraine, where they are relentlessly targeted by attack drones, according to the BBC.

Civilian Impact and Continued Threats

The temporary ceasefire would also provide relief to civilians across Ukraine, where air raid sirens are part of daily life and Russian missiles and drones continue to kill and injure people. Recently, several people were killed when a drone targeted their bus in Nikopol in the southeast. In Zhytomyr. Just west of Kyiv. A woman died when a missile struck near her home in the middle of the morning, according to the BBC.

Even after the weekend truce was announced, air raid sirens were heard again in Kyiv, indicating that the threat of attacks remains, according to the BBC. Meanwhile, Ukraine has increased its drone attacks on Russia, targeting its energy exports in particular in a series of intense strikes. Russia claims that residential houses were also hit, according to the BBC.

If this truce comes into effect on Saturday, Ukrainians will remain skeptical that it can hold. Earlier this year, Russia claimed it had called an ‘energy truce,’ halting its devastating strikes on Ukraine’s power plants in the depths of winter, but the pause lasted just long enough to prepare the missiles for the next major attack, according to the BBC.

Last May, Russia declared a unilateral halt to the fighting to mark the 80th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany. That time, Ukraine recorded hundreds of ceasefire violations, according to the BBC. What Kyiv really wants—and has proposed repeatedly—is a full and stable ceasefire as a first step toward negotiating a lasting end to Russia’s invasion, according to the BBC.

However, Moscow insists on agreeing to a peace deal first, prompting accusations from Kyiv that Russia is not serious about ending the fighting, according to the BBC. There have been several rounds of talks, with the US acting as a mediator, but the process has been on hold since Donald Trump shifted his focus to the Middle East, according to the BBC.