by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Europe Bureau Chief
KYIV/MOSCOW/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has proposed extending the Orthodox Easter ceasefire with Russia, which also saw the exchange of hundreds of prisoners of war.
“Easter should be a time of security and peace. It would be right for a ceasefire to continue beyond the holiday,” he said in comments monitored by Worthy News on Sunday, when millions celebrate Orthodox Easter, including in Ukraine and Russia.
“We have conveyed this proposal to Russia, and if Russia once more chooses war over peace, it will yet again show the world, and the United States in particular, who truly stands for what. Ukraine will act symmetrically,” Zelenskyy added.
There was no immediate response from Moscow.
EASTER TRUCE EXTENSION CALL
The latest ceasefire, announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin, was similar to a roughly 30-hour truce he ordered last year.
The Kremlin said the Easter ceasefire would be in effect from Saturday at 4 p.m. local time until midnight Sunday. “We proceed on the basis that the Ukrainian side will follow the example of the Russian Federation,” the announcement added.
While at least some violations of the truce were expected, the ceasefire enabled Ukraine and Russia to exchange hundreds of prisoners of war over the weekend in time for Orthodox Easter, officials from both countries said.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine brought home 175 servicemen and seven civilians from Russian captivity. He added that the servicemen had “defended the country” on fronts ranging from the east to the south, and that most had been held since 2022.
PRISONER SWAP DURING TRUCE
At least one Ukrainian prisoner broke down in tears following the exchange, according to footage seen by Worthy News, amid reports of widespread abuses.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said the United Arab Emirates mediated the exchange. Russia also received 175 servicemen and seven civilians originally from the Kursk region, officials confirmed.
The exchanges came as Putin’s special envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, was in the United States meeting with members of U.S. President Donald J. Trump’s administration to discussa possible peace deal and U.S.-Russia economic cooperation, sources familiar with the visit said.
It remained unclear whether progress would be made during Orthodox Easter, often seen as a time of reflection.
UNCERTAIN PEACE PROSPECTS
According to the Orthodox calendar, Easter falls on April 12 this year.
Zelenskyy had already called for a ceasefire earlier this month, when most churches celebrated Easter, citing continued air attacks on Ukrainian cities. He said at the time there was no peace for Ukrainians, as Moscow responded instead with drone strikes.
Russia says it is pursuing “a long-term settlement” in a war that has caused massive casualties on both sides. The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a bipartisan nonprofit policy research organization, said in January that total casualties were estimated at 1.8 million and could approach two million by spring.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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