As Russia declared a '30-hour ceasefire' for Easter, Ukraine responded by calling for an extension of the ceasefire. This came just a day after the United States warned it would withdraw from peace mediation.
On the 19th (local time), according to the Associated Press, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated during a meeting with Valery Gerasimov, the Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, at the Kremlin that "Russia declares a ceasefire from 6 p.m. today until midnight on the 21st (Moscow time)."
President Putin further noted, "I expect the Ukrainian side will follow our example," adding, "At the same time, our military must be prepared to respond to any violations of the ceasefire, enemy provocations, or any form of aggressive actions."
This order came just one day after former President Donald Trump warned that the U.S. would withdraw from peace mediation.
President Trump said during a press Q&A the previous day, "If one of the two parties (Russia and Ukraine) complicates matters significantly, we will say, 'You're a fool. We will decline (further mediation efforts).'"
Nonetheless, he expressed hope, saying, "We hope we don't have to do that" and "We want to see an end to the (war)."
On the same day, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also pressured both countries, stating after a meeting with European officials and Ukraine in Paris that "if there is no progress in peace negotiations, the U.S. may cease its role as a mediator."
In response, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky proposed an extension of the ceasefire.
After Putin announced the commencement of the ceasefire, President Zelensky posted on X (formerly Twitter) on that day, "While 30 hours may be enough to make headlines, it is insufficient to build real trust," and he proposed to extend the ceasefire beyond Easter on the 20th.
He emphasized, "Russia continues its offensive operations on some fronts and has not stopped shelling," and added, "If Russia is prepared for a complete and unconditional ceasefire, Ukraine will act accordingly based on Russia's actions." He further stated, "We will respond to silence with silence and to attacks with defense."
On the same day, both countries announced that they had exchanged 246 prisoners of war through mediation from the United Arab Emirates (UAE).