The temporary halt in fighting, set to cover Easter Sunday celebrations, comes as U.S.-backed attempts to negotiate an end to the four-year conflict remain stalled. The announcement also follows ongoing tensions in other global hotspots, though the ceasefire itself is focused on the war between Russia and Ukraine.

Putin’s move mirrors a similar 30-hour Easter ceasefire he ordered last year, which both Moscow and Kyiv later accused each other of breaching.

The Kremlin stated that the truce would begin at 4 p.m. on Saturday (1300 GMT) and remain in force until midnight (2100 GMT) on Sunday.

“We expect the Ukrainian side to follow the example of the Russian Federation,” the Kremlin said in its statement.

According to the announcement, Defence Minister Andrei Belousov instructed Russia’s top military commander, Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov, to suspend combat operations in all areas for the duration of the ceasefire.

At the same time, Russian forces were ordered to stay prepared to respond to any potential provocations or hostile actions.

Zelenskiy said Ukraine had repeatedly suggested pausing hostilities for the Orthodox Easter holiday.

“Ukraine has consistently said that we are ready for reciprocal steps. We proposed a ceasefire for Easter this year and will act accordingly,” Zelenskiy wrote on Telegram.

He added that civilians deserve to celebrate Easter without danger and expressed hope that Russia would extend the pause beyond the holiday as a step toward genuine peace.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin’s proposal had not been coordinated in advance with the United States and was not connected to any immediate plans to resume trilateral peace negotiations.

Meanwhile, Putin’s special envoy Kirill Dmitriev is in the United States, where he is meeting representatives of President Donald Trump’s administration to discuss prospects for a peace agreement and potential economic cooperation between Washington and Moscow, according to sources familiar with the visit.

In the Orthodox Christian calendar, which is widely observed in both Russia and Ukraine, Easter falls on April 12 this year.

Zelenskiy had advocated for an Easter ceasefire for over a week, stating that instead of agreeing, Moscow had continued aerial strikes on Ukrainian cities. Russian officials had previously responded cautiously to the proposal, saying their priority was a comprehensive, long-term settlement rather than a short pause.

The Ukrainian leader has suggested temporary halts in fighting on several occasions, but Moscow has rejected those overtures.

For the Easter period, Zelenskiy also proposed that both sides refrain from targeting each other’s energy infrastructure, noting that the offer had been conveyed through the United States.

In an exclusive interview with The Associated Press late Saturday in Istanbul, Zelenskyy said Ukraine urgently requires additional U.S.-manufactured Patriot systems to defend against Russia’s daily missile attacks.

Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion more than four years ago, it has relentlessly struck cities far from the front lines, killing thousands of civilians. Moscow has also targeted Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, aiming to disrupt production of newly developed Ukrainian drones and missiles, while depriving civilians of heat and water during the winter months.

“We must admit that today we are not the main priority,” Zelenskyy said. “That is why I worry that a long war with Iran will mean less support for us.”

A loss of focus on Ukraine

The most recent round of U.S.-mediated talks between representatives from Moscow and Kyiv concluded in February without tangible progress. Zelenskyy, who has accused Russia of deliberately prolonging negotiations while continuing its military campaign, said Ukraine remains engaged with American officials about a potential peace agreement and continues to push for firm security guarantees.

However, he noted that even these discussions reflect a broader decline in global attention to Ukraine’s war.

Zelenskyy emphasized that his immediate concern centers on Patriot systems, which are critical for intercepting Russian ballistic missiles. Ukraine currently has no equally effective alternative.

He added that the systems provided so far were never sufficient. If the Iran conflict drags on, “the package — which is already not very large for us — may shrink further each day.”

“That is why we are, of course, concerned,” he said.

Interlinked wars

Zelenskyy had hoped European allies would assist in financing additional Patriot systems, despite tight global supplies and limited U.S. production capacity.

But the Iran war, now entering its sixth week, has shaken global markets and drawn in much of the Middle East. The conflict has further strained already limited military stockpiles, redirected resources, and left Ukrainian cities increasingly vulnerable to ballistic missile strikes.

For Kyiv, a central objective has been to weaken Russia’s economy and raise the financial cost of the war. However, rising oil prices — fueled in part by Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz — have strengthened Russia’s energy revenues, enhancing the Kremlin’s ability to sustain its military operations.

Zelenskyy said Moscow is benefiting economically from the Middle East conflict, pointing to limited U.S. easing of sanctions on Russian oil exports.

“Russia is receiving additional funds because of this situation, so yes, they are benefiting,” he said.

Russian authorities reported Sunday that a fire erupted at a major oil refinery in the Nizhny Novgorod region following a drone attack. Another drone strike reportedly damaged a pipeline at the Baltic Sea port of Primorsk, a key oil export hub. Officials said no casualties were recorded.

With oil prices rising and temporary adjustments to sanctions intended to ease global supply pressures, Russia could see further financial gains. As one of the world’s leading oil exporters, Moscow has found growing demand among Asian buyers amid mounting energy uncertainty.

In response, Ukraine has intensified its long-range drone strikes targeting Russian oil infrastructure, operations that have unsettled the Kremlin.

A renewed diplomatic push

To keep Ukraine firmly on the international agenda, Zelenskyy has proposed sharing the country’s battlefield experience with the United States and its partners to help develop defenses against Iranian threats.

Ukraine has steadily adapted to Russia’s use of Iranian-made Shahed drones, countering them with technological innovation and cost-effective solutions.

After Russia modified the original Shahed-136 drones — rebranded as the Geran-2 — to improve their evasion capabilities and facilitate mass production, Ukraine responded by rapidly developing its own countermeasures, including affordable interceptor drones capable of tracking and destroying incoming threats.

Zelenskyy said Ukraine is prepared to share its expertise and technologies — including interceptor and sea drones — with Gulf Arab nations facing Iranian threats. These systems are produced in sufficient numbers, funded by American and European support.

In exchange, he suggested, those countries could assist Ukraine in obtaining anti-ballistic missile systems.

In late March, as tensions in the Middle East escalated, Zelenskyy visited several Gulf states to highlight Ukraine’s experience in countering Iranian-designed drones, leading to new agreements on defense cooperation.

He has also presented Ukraine as a potential contributor to global maritime security, offering to share lessons learned from securing shipping corridors in the Black Sea to help ensure safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.

Zelenskyy was in Istanbul for discussions with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who had spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin the previous day.

According to Zelenskyy, the talks covered prospects for renewed peace negotiations and the possibility of a leaders’ summit in Istanbul. He added that additional defense agreements between Ukraine and Turkey could soon be finalized.

Russia steps up its spring offensive

As spring advances each year, Russia typically intensifies its war effort. Despite this, it has failed to capture major Ukrainian cities and has achieved only gradual gains in rural areas. Russia currently controls about 20% of Ukrainian territory, including the Crimean Peninsula, which it annexed in 2014.

Along the approximately 1,250-kilometer (750-mile) front line spanning eastern and southern Ukraine, Ukrainian forces — stretched thin — are bracing for a renewed push from Russia’s larger army.

Ukraine’s commander-in-chief, Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, said Russian troops have recently launched coordinated attempts to breach defensive positions across several key sectors.

Zelenskyy reiterated that one principle remains unchanged: Ukraine will not agree to territorial concessions or surrender land as part of any settlement.

Estonia’s Internal Security Service announced on Wednesday that a drone entering from Russian territory hit the chimney of a power plant in the northeastern village of Auvere. Authorities confirmed that no injuries were reported as a result of the incident.

Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna stated that the drone was “not aimed at Estonia”, but described the breach as “a tangible consequence of Russia’s full-scale war of aggression”.

That same day, Latvia’s Air Force reported detecting an unmanned aerial vehicle that had also crossed into its airspace from Russia before crashing in the southeastern Kraslava region. Officials said there were no casualties and no damage to civilian infrastructure.

Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina noted that early indications suggested the drone could have been Ukrainian, adding that a formal investigation had been launched. Defence Minister Andris Spruds, who was on an official visit to Ukraine at the time, announced he would end his trip early and return to Latvia following the घटना.

Ukraine had conducted several overnight strikes inside Russia, including an attack on the major northwestern port of Ust-Luga on the Gulf of Finland. Latvia and Estonia are located along potential flight paths for drones heading toward that area, which lies relatively close to Saint Petersburg.

Throughout the war, drones have repeatedly entered the airspace of European nations, prompting debate within the European Union about the creation of a possible “drone wall” to reinforce the bloc’s eastern border against further Russian incursions.

Just last week, Estonian officials reported that a Russian fighter jet had violated the country’s northern airspace for the first time this year, leading authorities to summon Russia’s charge d’affaires.

Both Latvia and Estonia remain strong supporters of Ukraine and are part of the so-called “coalition of the willing”, a group of countries that have intensified their assistance to Kyiv during the conflict.

Russian delegates did not attend the meeting, which began on Saturday in Florida. They had initially been expected to participate in talks that were previously scheduled to take place in the United Arab Emirates before regional tensions linked to the US-Israeli conflict with Iran altered the plans.

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The American delegation is headed by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, son-in-law of US President Donald Trump.

Writing on X on Sunday, Zelenskyy urged stronger measures against Moscow’s so-called shadow fleet of oil tankers and called for cutting off the revenues that fund Russia’s war effort.

“In just one week, Russia launched nearly 1,550 attack drones at Ukraine, along with more than 1,260 guided aerial bombs and two missiles. During that same period, as sanctions pressure eased, Russia expanded its crude oil sales to support its military campaign,” Zelenskyy stated.

“These earnings create a sense of impunity and allow Russia to continue its aggression. Pressure must therefore be sustained, and sanctions must be enforced effectively. Russia’s shadow fleet should not feel secure in European waters or anywhere else,” he added.

The Ukrainian leader emphasized that tankers contributing to Russia’s war financing “can and must be stopped and blocked, not simply allowed to continue operating.”

The term shadow fleet refers to a network of ships used to transport Russian oil and gas despite Western sanctions imposed in response to the invasion of Ukraine.

Last week, the French Navy detained an oil tanker in the western Mediterranean. French President Emmanuel Macron said the vessel was linked to Russia’s shadow fleet, which has been used to bypass sanctions and maintain oil exports.

This fleet has expanded since Western restrictions targeted Moscow’s energy revenues, helping Russia sustain the flow of oil exports despite international efforts to curb them.

Talks continue

The previous direct meeting between Ukrainian and Russian representatives took place in February in Geneva, Switzerland. That round ended without tangible results, as disputes over territorial control remained unresolved.

Moscow has consistently maintained that it will not accept any peace agreement requiring it to relinquish territory seized during the conflict. Kyiv, for its part, insists it cannot endorse a settlement that does not restore its territorial integrity.

Proposals reportedly included in the US-backed peace framework involve holding a presidential election in Ukraine and considering territorial compromises.

Zelenskyy, whose presidential term has formally expired, is facing renewed calls from Trump to organize elections as Washington increases pressure on Kyiv to move toward a negotiated settlement.

Ukrainian legislation prohibits elections while martial law is in effect. However, Zelenskyy has said the country would be prepared to hold democratic elections if the United States helped secure a two-month ceasefire, allowing time to organize voting infrastructure and ensure adequate security guarantees.

The Air Force reported that the assault included 2 Zircon anti-ship missiles, 13 Iskander-M/S-400 ballistic missiles, 25 Kalibr cruise missiles, 24 Kh-101 cruise missiles, 4 Kh-59/69 guided air-launched missiles, and 430 attack UAVs, including 250 Shahed-type drones.

The primary target of the attack was the Kyiv region. Ukrainian aviation, anti-aircraft missile forces, electronic warfare units, unmanned systems units, and mobile fire groups of the Defense Forces were involved in repelling the assault.

Preliminary data as of 09:00 indicate that air defense systems destroyed or suppressed 460 aerial targets — 58 missiles and 402 drones of various types:

• 1 Zircon anti-ship missile;

• 7 Iskander-M/S-400 ballistic missiles;

• 25 Kalibr cruise missiles;

• 24 Kh-101 cruise missiles;

• 1 Kh-59/69 guided air-launched missile;

• 402 enemy UAVs of different types.

“Six missiles and 28 strike drones hit targets at 11 locations. Debris from downed UAVs fell at seven additional sites. Information regarding four enemy missiles is still being уточнено,” the statement said.

Russian attack on March 14 – what is known

During the night of March 14, Russia launched a massive missile and drone attack on the Kyiv region. The strikes caused destruction in several districts, leaving people killed and injured. According to the head of the Kyiv Regional Military Administration, Mykola Kalashnyk, four people were killed and 15 others were wounded as a result of the shelling.

Residential buildings, educational institutions, businesses, and critical infrastructure facilities were damaged in the attack. The most significant destruction was recorded in the Obukhiv and Brovary districts.

According to him, violations of military registration rules qualify as administrative offenses. Under current legislation, a penalty for such an administrative violation may be imposed within three months from the date it is detected.

However, if one year has already passed since the offense was committed, the military enlistment office can no longer hold the individual accountable, in accordance with Articles 38–39 of the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses.

“In this case, the search is unlawful and may be challenged in court,” the lawyer explained.

If the search is indeed незаконний and this is confirmed by a court decision, the individual may be removed from the wanted list without paying a fine. At the same time, the person remains registered for military service.

“The TCR has the right to summon you — but that is a separate legal procedure,” Koshel added.

The lawyer also cited examples of similar cases in the judicial system. For instance, the Donetsk District Administrative Court, in case No. 200/5197/25, ordered the cancellation of a search because the statutory time limit for bringing the person to administrative responsibility had expired and no formal ruling had been issued against them.

Similar explanations are shared by lawyers on public forums, where users ask why their “Wanted” status disappeared in the “Reserve+” application.

“The TCR enters data into the Register regarding violations of military registration rules. Based on this information, a request is automatically generated to the police to bring the individual in for the drafting of a report. At the same time, the system automatically sets a period during which the person may remain wanted, and this period is one year. Therefore, the search status disappeared because a year had passed since the offense was committed. The police no longer have any record of the search,” explained attorney Yurii Aivazian.

Mobilization in Ukraine – Other Updates

Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Pavlo Palisa stated that clear terms of service, along with the possibility of deferment after completing a contract, are being prepared for all service members in Ukraine. He noted that the Ministry of Defense is currently drafting the necessary legislation.

It was also previously reported that Ukrainians over the age of 60 may добровільно sign a contract to serve in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The contract will be valid for one year. However, this option applies only to those who have been deemed fit for military service by a military medical commission based on their health condition.

Speaking to reporters in Kyiv, Zelenskiy said the Kremlin’s ambition to seize the entirety of eastern Ukraine, along with additional southern territories, remains in place.

He added that Russia is also aiming to push toward the southeastern city of Dnipro and is examining possibilities for advancing in the southern Odesa region along the Black Sea coast.

According to Zelenskiy, Ukraine has obtained maps detailing Russian military plans for 2026–2027. However, he described those plans as detached from reality, arguing that Russia lacks the capacity to carry them out.

“We know what they are seeking to do. Their primary focus remains unchanged — the occupation of eastern Ukraine, particularly the Donetsk and Luhansk regions,” he said.

“They also intend to move further toward the Zaporizhzhia region and in the direction of the city of Dnipro. And while this presents significant challenges for them, they are still setting their sights on the Odesa region.”

At present, Zelenskiy noted that Ukraine does not believe Russian forces have the necessary resources to achieve the objectives outlined in those documents. He emphasized that future developments will depend largely on the level of military assistance Kyiv receives and the country’s own defense production efforts.

Russian troops have continued a gradual offensive in the eastern Donbas area, which includes the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. On Monday, Russia’s Defence Ministry reported that its forces had taken control of three additional villages.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s General Staff announced that its military had regained control of nine settlements in the southern Zaporizhzhia region since late January and is continuing counteroffensive operations along the southeastern front.

Territorial control remains one of the most difficult issues in negotiations mediated by the United States. Moscow is demanding that Ukraine relinquish parts of the Donetsk region that Russian forces have yet to capture, a proposal that Zelenskiy firmly rejects.

According to the report, 70% of respondents say they do not expect the ongoing talks to result in sustainable peace. Meanwhile, 25% believe that such an outcome is possible, and 5% remain undecided. Compared to mid-January 2026, public opinion on this issue has not changed.

KIIS Executive Director Anton Hrushetskyi noted that Ukrainians continue to view the present peace negotiations with caution, and most do not hold optimistic expectations about their success.

He explained that the realities on the ground — including continued Russian pressure on the front despite heavy losses, ongoing attacks against civilians, attempts to deprive people of electricity during the winter, and uncompromising statements from Russian leadership — give Ukrainians little reason to believe that Russia genuinely intends to end the war soon. Many Ukrainians are convinced that if Russia is prepared to stop the war, it would only be on terms amounting to Ukraine’s effective capitulation, and that no alternative conditions would be accepted.

At the same time, he emphasized that Ukrainians remain open to discussing difficult compromises, provided they do not involve surrender or the loss of sovereignty.

Between February 12 and 24, 2026, KIIS conducted a nationwide public opinion survey titled “Omnibus.” The poll was carried out using computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATI) based on a random sample of mobile phone numbers across all regions of Ukraine under government control. In total, 2,004 respondents were interviewed.

Peace negotiations – latest updates

Serhiy Kyslytsia, First Deputy Head of the Presidential Office and a member of the negotiation team, stated that the military working group involved in the talks between Ukraine, Russia, and the United States has completed about 90% of its assigned tasks.

According to him, the remaining issues require political decisions and therefore cannot be finalized at the military level. He also stressed that this working group has no alternative, as its efforts are directly tied to the possibility of ending the war.

Kyslytsia suggested that several more meetings may take place and expressed confidence that once the necessary political decisions are made, the military group will be able to conclude its work.

This marks the first time South African officials have confirmed that any of their nationals, who were allegedly enticed to Russia with promises of jobs or training opportunities, have lost their lives in the conflict.

Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola did not disclose the identities of the two individuals or specify when and where they were killed, but the Foreign Ministry confirmed that their families have been notified.

Lamola made the announcement following a visit to Durban on the country’s east coast, where he met with the families of 11 South Africans who returned home Wednesday. The group had allegedly been recruited last year under the pretense of receiving security training in Russia but instead became involved in the fighting in Ukraine.

According to Lamola, four other men connected to the same operation had already been brought back to South Africa, while two others remain in Russia suffering from “severe injuries.”

Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, daughter of former President Jacob Zuma, is under police investigation for allegedly playing a role in recruiting the 17 men who traveled to Russia. She has denied any wrongdoing but stepped down as a lawmaker in November amid the allegations. Authorities say she is one of at least five individuals being investigated in connection with sending the men abroad.

Lamola clarified that the two South Africans who died were not part of the group allegedly recruited by Zuma-Sambudla, but instead were involved in a separate recruitment effort that brought them to Russia.

“The law must take its course,” Lamola said regarding the 17 men who were permitted to leave the front lines after diplomatic engagement between South Africa and Russia. “Anyone involved in this scheme must be held responsible, and there must be consequences.”

Ukraine has stated that it believes more than 1,700 Africans have been recruited to fight for Russia. Several African governments have reported that their citizens were misled into joining the war through offers of well-paying jobs or skills development programs.

An intelligence report presented to Kenya’s parliament last week indicated that around 1,000 Kenyans had been recruited to support Russian forces after being falsely promised employment opportunities before being deployed to the battlefield.

The Kenyan government said at least 89 of its citizens remain on the front lines in Ukraine, 39 have been hospitalized, 28 are missing in action, and others have since returned home. One Kenyan death has been officially confirmed.

In a related development, a man in Kenya was arrested and charged Thursday for allegedly trafficking 25 Kenyans to Russia last year in a scheme that authorities say deceived them into joining the conflict.

Ukraine’s intelligence agency also reported earlier this month that two Nigerian nationals were killed late last year while fighting for Russian forces.

South Africa’s Democratic Alliance party said it has obtained roughly 100 WhatsApp messages that suggest the South African recruits connected to Zuma-Sambudla were promised “security training” and the possibility of obtaining Russian or Canadian citizenship.

However, upon arrival in Russia, their passports and clothing were reportedly destroyed, their mobile phones confiscated, and they were sent to the Donetsk region of Ukraine to fight alongside Russian troops, according to the party.

Russia’s recruitment efforts have extended beyond Africa. An investigation earlier this year found that workers from Bangladesh were lured to Russia with promises of civilian employment but were instead sent into combat in Ukraine, where some reported facing threats of violence, detention, or death.

A separate investigation in 2024 revealed that African women were also recruited under false pretenses to support Russia’s war effort. They were allegedly enticed through social media advertisements promoting work-study programs, only to be assigned to a factory producing attack drones intended for use in Ukraine.

The war between Russia and Ukraine marked its fourth anniversary this week. As the conflict continues, Russia has sought to bolster its ranks in part by recruiting foreign nationals.

___

LONDON, Feb 13 – Ukraine anticipates that its new $8.2 billion agreement with the International Monetary Fund will receive official approval within the coming weeks, according to the country’s top debt official. This development marks a significant milestone as Ukraine enters the fifth year of its conflict with Russia.

This new IMF arrangement, set to follow the current $15.6 billion programme, aims to support Ukraine’s financial stability and government expenditures, amid expectations of a fiscal gap nearing $140 billion over the next several years.

Speaking to Reuters, Yuriy Butsa, Ukraine’s long-serving head of public debt management, expressed confidence that the IMF Board would shortly ratify the deal.

"I think it will happen in a matter of weeks," Butsa said while in London for official meetings. "It’s still realistic to expect it this February."

February 24 marks four years since Russia's invasion began. Since then, Ukraine has received substantial aid from Western allies and financial entities, in addition to undergoing a major sovereign debt overhaul totaling over $20 billion.

"We're currently awaiting the formal adoption of the IMF programme, but we've already reached consensus on the fiscal figures for this year and next," Butsa noted, also endorsing the EU’s newly approved 90-billion-euro loan package.

He remained cautious regarding discussions of a potential U.S.-facilitated truce being reached around the conflict's anniversary later this month.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has called for greater U.S. pressure on Russia to help end the war by summer, noting uncertainty around Moscow’s participation in upcoming negotiations initiated by the U.S.

"We must remain prudent in planning and not overreact to news cycles," Butsa explained, emphasizing that even a temporary halt in combat would not eliminate the country’s financial burdens.

"Even under a ceasefire, we believe it’s necessary to sustain a robust military presence and continue strengthening our defense resources," he added.

Butsa also indicated that Ukraine is not likely to quickly start issuing new international bonds once the war ends. The country intends to rely on concessional financing and domestic bond markets, which carry no foreign exchange risks.

Referring to IMF requirements under the debt sustainability framework, Butsa noted that the government would be limited in its ability to provide guarantees for public enterprises like Ukrainian Railways and Naftogaz in any future debt restructurings.

"There are strict limitations on sovereign guarantees due to our debt analysis," he said. "So we can’t issue them, but we can help these companies develop sustainable, long-term strategies."

Removing wartime capital controls will also be a key issue this year. A significant upcoming step is to permit international investors to withdraw the original amounts invested in local currency bonds issued by Ukraine.

This, Butsa said, is "a crucial element" in expanding future sales of local bonds and is a change that could be implemented even before hostilities fully end.

Ukraine is partnering with Clearstream, a European clearinghouse owned by Deutsche Boerse, to boost the appeal of its domestic bond market. It is also aiming to become part of the European Central Bank’s TARGET2 system, which handles a vast volume of euro-denominated transactions daily.

"We don’t have outdated systems to maintain, so we’re able to immediately implement the most effective solutions," Butsa stated, noting the government's intention to identify a strategic partner this year to support its financial infrastructure goals.

Another target is to rejoin major emerging market bond indices, such as JPMorgan’s GBI-EM benchmark, which draws significant investor flows. Ukraine had one bond included in the index prior to its maturity in March 2022.

"That's definitely one of our goals — we plan to return," Butsa confirmed. "We hope to make our bonds eligible for indexing and position our local market as a strong and dependable funding source."