Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed profound skepticism regarding Russian President Vladimir Putins recent announcement, made on Saturday, that Russia would observe a temporary ceasefire during the Easter holiday. This declaration, however, came amid ongoing air raid alerts and reports of Russian attack drones over Ukraine, indicating a stark contrast between words and actions.

Following Putin's announcement, Zelenskyy took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to share his views. He pointed out that the presence of Shahed drones in Ukrainian airspace serves as a clear indication of Putins genuine regard for the Easter holiday and for human life itself. Shahed drones in our skies reveal Putins true attitude toward Easter and toward human life, he asserted in his post.

In a video shared by the Kremlin, Putin stated, Guided by humanitarian considerations, today from 18:00 to 00:00, from Sunday to Monday, the Russian side declares an Easter truce. This statement, however, was met with skepticism by Zelenskyy, who noted the ongoing military operations and artillery fire even as the truce was being announced.

Zelenskyy further elaborated on the situation, emphasizing that if Russia were genuinely committed to a ceasefire, it should reciprocate Ukraine's readiness to engage in a format of full and unconditional silence. If Russia is now suddenly ready to truly engage... Ukraine will act accordingly mirroring Russias actions. Silence in response to silence, defensive strikes in response to attacks, he remarked.

He also expressed a willingness to extend the ceasefire if it were to take hold genuinely, stating, That is what will reveal Russias true intentions, because 30 hours is enough to make headlines, but not for genuine confidence-building measures. Thirty days could give peace a chance. This suggests a desire for a more prolonged and meaningful cessation of hostilities rather than temporary pauses intended for public relations.

Despite the ceasefire announcement, Zelenskyy reported that Russian assault operations continued unabated across various frontline sectors. He reiterated, According to the Commander-in-Chief reports, Russian assault operations continue... Russian artillery fire has not subsided. Therefore, there is no trust in words coming from Moscow. His comments reflect a deep-seated mistrust of Russian intentions, rooted in past experiences of manipulation and deceit by Moscow.

On Saturday evening, Zelenskyy pointed out that the Easter ceasefire declarations by Putin did not extend to regions like Kursk and Belgorod in Ukraine, where he noted that hostilities and Russian strikes persisted. Russian artillery can still be heard in certain directions of the front, regardless of the Russian leader's promise of silence. Russian drones are in use, he stated, underscoring the ongoing threat faced by Ukrainian forces.

Despite acknowledging that in some areas the situation had quieted, Zelenskyy reiterated that his proposal for a full and unconditional 30-day silence remained on the table, awaiting a response from Moscow. He stressed that Ukraine, in collaboration with its partners, is prepared to work toward peace constructively, but emphasized that similar readiness must be shown by Russia as well.

The ongoing conflict, which has persisted for over three years, has resulted in the tragic loss of tens of thousands of lives on both sides since Russias invasion of the sovereign nation in February 2022. The timing of the temporary ceasefire announcement is particularly notable as it follows former President Donald Trumps recent comments regarding U.S. involvement in Ukraine. On Thursday, Trump indicated that an 80-page minerals deal with Ukraine is expected to be signed within the week, potentially as early as April 26, according to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

While details regarding this agreement remain sparse, recent reports have suggested that the U.S. has softened its demands for repayment of the aid provided to Ukraine, reducing the expected repayment amount from $300 billion to $100 billion. Trump has also stated that if Russia does not agree to ceasefire terms, the U.S. will just take a pass on peace efforts, conveying a clear message about his administration's stance on negotiations. If, for some reason, one of the two parties makes it very difficult, were just going to say, 'Youre foolish, youre fools, youre horrible people,' and were going to just take a pass, Trump told reporters, while expressing hope that such drastic measures would not be necessary.

As the situation continues to unfold, both Ukraine and the international community remain watchful of Russias next moves and the potential for any meaningful progress toward peace.