The U.S. State Department has expressed its readiness to welcome a further extension of the temporary ceasefire announced by Russia for the Easter holiday, despite the absence of an official Kremlin order to prolong it, reports Rks News.
The temporary ceasefire, declared on April 19, 2025, by President Vladimir Putin, was initially set to last from 6:00 p.m. Moscow time until midnight on April 20.
However, this period of temporary calm was marred by renewed tensions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that “Russian forces continued their attacks, including 59 instances of shelling and five ground assaults along the front line,” according to Reuters.
On the other hand, the Russian Ministry of Defense insisted that its troops fully observed the ceasefire agreement, blaming Ukraine for “drone attacks on Russian regions.”
In efforts to de-escalate the situation, President Zelensky called for a longer ceasefire, proposing a 30-day halt to fighting and emphasizing the need for “a complete and unconditional end to hostilities.”
Still, the prospect of an extended pause in fighting remained unclear, as the Kremlin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, stated that “there is no order for the ceasefire to be extended.”
