Trump urges Russia-Ukraine peace as Easter truce falters
U.S. President Donald Trump expressed hope for an agreement between Russia and Ukraine this week. His post on social media appeared just before the end of the "Easter truce" announced by Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
What do you need to know?
- Donald Trump published a series of posts on the Truth Social platform, expressing hope for a reached agreement between Russia and Ukraine this week.
- The Easter truce, announced by Vladimir Putin, was supposed to end at 5:00 PM ET.
- Volodymyr Zelensky proposed extending the ceasefire beyond Easter.
Will Russia and Ukraine reach an agreement this week?
U.S. President Donald Trump expressed hope that Russia and Ukraine will reach an agreement this week. His posts on the Truth Social platform appeared just before the end of the "Easter truce" announced by Vladimir Putin.
Trump emphasized that both countries can begin competing for big business with the United States, which is currently thriving.
"Hopefully russia amd ukraine will make a deal this week. Both will then start to do big business with the united states of america, which is thriving, and make a fortune!" he wrote, without providing any details.
What are the reactions to the end of the Easter truce?
The previously ending ceasefire was commented on by a representative of the U.S. Department of State. "We have seen President Putin's announcement of a temporary ceasefire due to Easter. We remain committed to achieving a full and comprehensive ceasefire. As we assess their seriousness in this instance, we would welcome it extending beyond Sunday," the spokesperson conveyed.
A similar position was shared by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who proposed extending the ceasefire.
Fighting continued during the truce
The Russian Ministry of Defence accused Ukraine of violating the conditions of the Easter truce. According to Russia, the Ukrainian armed forces shelled Russian positions 444 times and conducted 900 drone attacks. The Russians claim that as a result of these actions, there are fatalities and injuries among civilians.
The Ukrainian armed forces strongly refute Russia's accusations. They assert that their actions are merely a response to Russian attacks, which started just after Putin announced the truce.
Putin announced the Easter truce in the war with Ukraine on Saturday, which, according to his words, was supposed to last for 30 hours - from 11:00 AM ET on Saturday to 5:00 PM on Sunday. Shortly after the indicated start time of the truce, the head of the Ukrainian governmental Centre for Countering Disinformation, Andriy Kovalenko, informed that Russian forces continue to attack Ukrainian positions.
