In a move that stunned diplomats and observers alike, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a sudden, unilateral Easter truce in the ongoing war on Ukraine. But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy isn’t buying it, and perhaps, neither should the world.

As air raid sirens blared across Ukrainian cities and Iranian-made Shahed drones buzzed ominously in the skies, Zelenskyy called out the farce for what it appears to be: “Another attempt by Putin to play with human lives.” The violence never really stopped, he insisted. Nor did the artillery fire. In fact, the only thing that seems to have changed is the packaging, this time wrapped in the holy veneer of Easter.

And yet, the world is expected to believe in the sincerity of a regime that has weaponized winter, bombed hospitals, and now wants a pause, for humanitarian reasons?

A Ceasefire Born in Chaos, Not Compassion

The so-called Easter truce, barely 30 hours long, was announced out of the blue. No negotiations, no coordination, no mutual agreement. Just a decree from Moscow, imposed as if peace can be declared like a public holiday. The brevity, the unilateral nature, the timing, seem to be conveniently aligned with growing pressure from Washington, make it all feel more like a geopolitical stunt than a sincere step toward peace.

In fact, the truce came mere hours after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and President Donald Trump signaled they wanted to see tangible signs that the Kremlin was ready to talk peace. Putin delivered, if you can call it that. But it smells more like a tactical nod to Trump’s base than a true humanitarian gesture.

Let’s not forget – this is not the first time. In January 2023, Moscow made a similarly hollow declaration during Orthodox Christmas, which was widely seen as a strategic pause to regroup troops. Déjà vu!

The Weaponization of Peace

Could Putin be playing a small game, announce the truce, then accuse Kyiv of violating it. That way, the it can be twisted to suggest Ukraine, and by extension, its Western allies, do not want peace. A tactic – one that exploits religious sentiment and weaponizes the very idea of diplomacy.

Russia’s Ministry of Defence posted on Telegram: “The ceasefire regime is being introduced for humanitarian purposes… provided that it is mutually observed by the Kyiv regime.” That conditional clause says it all. The so-called “truce” is a trap. A stage set to shift blame, not to stop war.

Meanwhile, Ukraine did not even agree to the terms. How can you have a ceasefire when only one side signs up?

Diplomacy Takes a Hit

In reality, this maneuver could do more harm than good. It muddles the already delicate global diplomacy and peace negotiations. It gives false hope to the naïve and ammunition to the opportunistic. Worse, it could corner Ukraine into an impossible position, damned if they fire back, damned if they don’t.

Trump may hold it up as proof that Putin is “willing” to negotiate. Pro-Kremlin pundits might use it to argue that Kyiv is the aggressor. But the facts on the ground, of drones, missiles, and artillery fire, tell a very different story.

Words vs. Warheads. Can You Really Trust Putin’s Truce When Missiles Keep Falling?

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha put it straight – “Putin’s word cannot be trusted,” he said flatly, and who could argue?

Ukraine, according to Sybiha, had unconditionally agreed to a U.S.-backed 30-day interim ceasefire as early as March, and what did Moscow do – it rejected it. Now, Putin shows up with a 30-hour PR ceasefire, wrapped in the Easter card and expects the world to clap.

It’s the classic Kremlin playbook –  say one thing, do another, and accuse the other side of hypocrisy. Just hours after Putin announced his sudden humanitarian heart, Russian media reported over 100 Ukrainian violations of the truce.

Meanwhile, Ukraine says Russia’s been violating ceasefires all along, lobbing drones and missiles like confetti.

Let us break it down – 
On Saturday night alone, eight missiles and 87 drones were launched by Russia.
That’s not a “pause.” That’s a barrage.

Ukraine’s air defence systems managed to intercept 33 drones and redirect 36 more using electronic warfare, but damage was still reported across five different regions. And this was supposed to be the “Easter truce”?

Ceasefires Shouldn’t Come with Missile Strikes

The question then becomes – who is Putin really talking to?

According to Hanna Shelest of Ukrainian Prism, it’s not Kyiv, it’s Trump.

“This has more to do with Donald Trump’s comments than any real intent to stop the war,” she said. The Kremlin, she added, believes it can manipulate Washington more easily than Berlin, London or Paris.

And that’s exactly what this stunt looks like –  a strategic photo op, not a peace offering. Putin’s claim that Russia has “always been ready for negotiations” is undermined by the missiles still flying and drones still buzzing.

As one analyst put it, “Everyone here feels this is simply a way for Vladimir Putin to carry out a publicity stunt and buy some time with the White House.” And yet again, Russia says one thing, does another.

A Ceasefire Under Fire

Despite all this, Ukraine hasn’t abandoned diplomacy. In fact, the only constructive thing to come out of this moment was a prisoner swap, one of the few acts both sides actually followed through on. Russia and Ukraine exchanged 246 prisoners each, brokered by the United Arab Emirates. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy announced that 277 Ukrainian service members had returned home and expressed gratitude to the UAE for mediating.

But even in the middle of a war, even during a ceasefire full of caveats and contradictions, Ukraine isn’t letting its guard down. As Shelest noted, “Ukraine is ready and will try to have [a ceasefire], but Ukraine has to be on high alert because previous experiences have demonstrated we cannot relax.”

So, What Exactly Is This Ceasefire?

A publicity move? A message to Trump? A way to reframe Ukraine as the “spoiler” in global media while continuing the war machine behind the scenes?

What’s Putin Really Playing At With This “Easter Ceasefire”?

On the surface, Vladimir Putin’s sudden call for a 30-hour Easter truce in Ukraine may seem like an oddly timed olive branch. But in geopolitics, nothing is ever that simple, especially not with the Kremlin. When Moscow moves, it’s never just about what’s visible. It’s about the ripple effects. The timing, the symbolism, and the strategic undercurrent all scream of a deeper agenda. So what’s really going on?

1. A Tactical Breather Disguised as a Spiritual Pause

Let us be blunt, Russia’s army needs a breather. After months of slow, grinding offensives and manpower challenges that have led to whispers of potential third-wave mobilization, a brief, staged ceasefire gives Russia a chance to regroup without openly retreating.

Whether it’s rotating exhausted troops, resupplying units under pressure, or fortifying recently taken ground without Ukrainian counter-battery fire, a one-day “humanitarian” ceasefire provides just enough cover to shuffle the deck without drawing too much suspicion. And if Ukraine fires back during this pause, Russia gets to spin the story of Kyiv being the aggressor.

2. Feeding Trump’s Narrativem and Splitting the West?

Again, let us not ignore the elephant in the room –  Trump’s rhetoric has been, to put it mildly, warmer toward Moscow than toward NATO. By offering a carefully timed but flawed truce just after comments from Trump and Marco Rubio calling for signs of peace, Putin throws a bone to the MAGA camp, and in doing so, subtly drives a wedge between Kyiv and some elements in Washington.

This move puts Zelenskyy in a diplomatic bind. If Ukraine rejects the ceasefire or is seen to violate it, Trump-aligned voices can turn around and say, “Look, we gave peace a chance, and Kyiv didn’t take it.” In other words, Putin doesn’t need the ceasefire to work. He just needs the optics.

3. A Signal to China, the UAE, and the Global South

With the West largely united against Russia, Putin is increasingly looking East and South to build new alliances or maintain neutrality among major powers like China, Iran and North Korea in particular. Gestures like a “humanitarian” ceasefire, no matter how short or shaky, allow the Kremlin to claim moral high ground in international forums and conversations.

4. Propaganda Fuel for the Domestic Front

Another factor that should be considered is that inside Russia, state-controlled media is great with storylines. And this ceasefire plays perfectly into the Kremlin’s portrayal of Putin as the “reluctant warrior” – a man who seeks peace, but is constantly provoked by Kyiv and its NATO backers.

5. Buying Time, Testing Reactions

This move may also be a trial balloon – to see how the U.S., Ukraine, Europe, and other global powers react to a micro ceasefire. It’s a temperature check; if any part of the Western coalition blinks or bites at the prospect of further pauses, it gives Moscow room to negotiate from a stronger hand, or at least pretend to.

Also, if Russia is planning a major operation or anticipating one from Ukraine, such symbolic moves offer a distraction or a delay, muddying intelligence signals and giving Putin just enough time to reposition assets. A 30-hour ceasefire is not long enough to change anything on the ground, but it’s just long enough to change the story.

In geopolitics, even peace can be weaponized.