Putin announces 30-hour Easter truce

(Sharecast News) - Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a 30-hour halt to attacks on Ukraine at the weekend. The unilateral ceasefire - under the assumption that Kyiv would follow suit - was ordered for between Saturday afternoon and 2100 GMT Sunday, or midnight time in Moscow.

Putin cited "humanitarian considerations" for his decision.

In parallel, Russia and Ukraine exchanged more than 200 prisoners of war, one of the largest exchanges since the start of the war.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky responded that his country would follow suit "if Russia is now suddenly ready to truly engage in a format of full and unconditional silence".

Speaking to Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, the day before, US vice-President, JD Vance, had reportedly said that the US was optimistic regarding its ability to put an end to the war between Russia and Ukraine.

On the same day, Bloomberg cited people familiar with the matter according to whom Washington was ready to recognise Russia's control of Crimea as an element of a wider peace agreement - although a final decision had not yet been taken.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio meanwhile said that Ukraine's call for security guarantees were not an "illegitimate desire".