Ukraine war latest: Putin announces 'Easter truce' - as Russia and Ukraine swap hundreds of prisoners (2025)

Donald Trump's administration will fail in its bid to broker a ceasefire if it doesn't press Russia to agree to one, a former US ambassador to Ukraine has said.

Steven Pifer told Sky's Kamali Melbourne that Trump's claims he could end the war in just 24 hours suggested he "really did not understand the complexities".

"If there's going to be a genuine effort by the Trump administration to end this war, it's going to take a focused, diplomatic approach, concentration and patience," he said.

Pifer explained that those aren't notable traits of the US president.

"I worry that he may not have been serious about this effort, it may have been a charade."

Watch the full interview in the video below.

Despite Vladimir Putin announcing Russia will cease "all military operations" for 30 hours, a Ukrainian official has claimed hostilities are continuing.

Andriy Kovalenko, head of Ukraine's centre for countering disinformation, said Russian forces were continuing to open fire despite Putin's announcement.

"The Russians are trying to pretend that they are peacekeepers, but they already refused an unconditional ceasefire on 11 March and are now conducting an information operation, talking about a truce but continuing to shoot without stopping," he said in a post on Telegram.

"This is all with the aim of blaming Ukraine."

It's a theme that's rumbled on throughout the war, with both sidesaccusing each other of violating various agreements.

Most recently, Moscow and Kyiv accused each other of breaching an agreement not to strike energy facilities - something Russia said has now ended.

We've been telling you about Russia and Ukraine swapping hundreds of prisoners this afternoon in the war's largest exchange (see 4.21pm post).

We can now bring you pictures of Ukrainian prisoners celebrating in an undisclosed location after the swap.

A total of 277 Ukrainians returned from Russian captivity - a figure which includes 31 wounded prisoners of war which were transferred in exchange for 15 wounded Russian servicemen in need of urgent medical care.

Russia's defence ministry said 246 Russian servicemen were returned "from the territory controlled by the Kyiv regime".

It's 6pm in the UK, 8pm in Moscow and Kyiv.

If you're just joining us, it's been a busy few hours of updates in our live page. Here's everything you need to know:

• Vladimir Putin announced Russia will cease "all military operations" as part of an "Easter truce" in Ukraine lasting 30 hours;
• The temporary measure began at 4pm UK time, with Moscow adding it assumes Kyiv will "follow our example";
• Ukraine's foreign minister said Putin's words "cannot be trusted" and added there is a "long history" of his statements not matching his actions;
• Meanwhile, Volodymyr Zelenksyy said Russian attack drones were "detected in our skies" just 45 minutes before Russia's truce began as he accused Putin of "playing with human lives";
• Away from the "Easter truce", Russia and Ukraine have swapped hundreds of prisoners in the war's largest exchange (see 4.21pm post).

Stay with us as we bring you more updates and analysis throughout the evening.

Vladimir Putin's Easter truce could be down to the Russian president needing a "very short respite" to lay the ground for a new huge strike, the chair of Ukraine's foreign affairs committee has said.

Speaking to Sky's Barbara Serra, Oleksandr Merezhko pointed to Russia's recent strike on Kharkiv which has left more than 100 people injured.

Asked whether recent pressure from Donald Trump's administration could have played a part in the announcement from the Kremlin, Merezhko said it's hard to say.

Watch the full interview in the video below

"The thing that is the truth is the Trump initially offered a ceasefire proposal, Ukraine agreed unconditionally," he said.

"Then Trump offered a partial ceasefire proposal and Ukraine agreed again, whereas Russia has virtually rejected the proposals."

Merezhko stated that Trump promised to use sanctions to punish Russia if they don't agree to a ceasefire plan, but said "nothing is going on".

"Ukraine agrees, Russian rejects. There is absolutely no reaction from Trump," he added.

By Ivor Bennett, Moscow correspondent

Well it is something, but it's by no means everything - a ceasefire for 30 hours, not 30 days.

This feels like a diplomatic dance, rather than a military, or moral, manoeuvre.

An Easter truce is significant in the sense that, if it holds, it'll be the first actual cessation of hostilities since the war began.

And it's significant in the sense that it's the first actual concession made by Moscow since Donald Trump initiated peace negotiations two months ago.

But, and there's always a but when it comes to the Kremlin, how much of a concession is it really? And how much difference will it make militarily?

It's nowhere near what the White House has been asking for, and it's nowhere near what Ukraine has previously consented to.

The American president's first proposal was a full 30-day ceasefire. Kyiv agreed but Moscow didn't, not without conditions.

Then there was the attempted maritime truce. Again, Moscow's agreement came with strings attached, in the form of sanctions relief, so it never got off the ground.

So why suddenly suggest a truce now?

America had made no secret of its growing frustration at the lack of progress in peace negotiations. Trump threatened to "take a pass" on attempts to reach an agreement last night, after his secretary of state said the US might "walk away".

I don’t think that in itself would be a problem for Russia, given its military dominance. But I think it could be a problem if Trump blames Vladimir Putin for the lack of progress, and then pulls the plug on their thaw in relations as well.

So this feels like Putin is giving Trump just enough to keep him on side, without actually making any major concession.

And the way it's being presented is interesting too - at Russia's initiative, on humanitarian grounds, Ukraine must "follow our example".

He's trying to cast himself as the peacemaker in the eyes of the US president - as the one who give solutions, not problems - which appears contrary to Trump's opinion of Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

We've just had reaction to the "Easter truce" from Ukraine's foreign minister Andrii Sybiha.

In a post on X, he says there is a "long history" of Vladimir Putin's statements not matching his actions.

"We know his words cannot be trusted and we will look at actions, not words," he adds.

"Russia can agree at any time to the proposal for a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire, which has been on the table since March."

Sybiha urges all of Ukraine's partners and the international community to be vigilant in the wake of Putin's announcement.

"Only actions, not words, reveal the truth: this war began and continues only because of Russia," he adds.

Another update to bring you from the televised meeting between Vladimir Putin and his military chief of staff Valery Gerasimov.

Gerasimov told the Russian president that troops had retaken more than 99% of territory seized by Ukraine in the Kursk region in an incursion launched in August.

"In the areas of the Kursk region where Ukraine armed forces mounted an incursion, the main part of the territory… is now liberated," he said.

"That's 1,260 sq km, 99.5%."

Earlier today, we told you about Russian troops recapturing the village of Oleshnya in the Kursk region (see 10.33am post).

Russia has been fighting to remove Ukrainian forces from Kursk since Kyiv sent its forces into the territory last August. Many of the territorial gains it made there have since been wiped out.

Away from the "Easter truce" for a moment, Russia and Ukraine have swapped hundreds of prisoners in the war's largest exchange.

The Russian defence ministry said 246 Russian servicemen were returned "from the territory controlled by the Kyiv regime".

Meanwhile, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said "another 277 warriors have returned home from Russian captivity".

That figure includes 31 wounded prisoners of war which were transferred in exchange for 15 wounded Russian servicemen in need of urgent medical care.

He said they are from the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Guard of Ukraine, the State Special Transport Service, and the border guards.

"They defended Mariupol and other directions in the Donetsk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, and Luhansk regions," he added.

Watch footage of the exchange courtesy of a Russian state-owned news channel below.

Voldymyr Zelenskyy has accused Vladimir Putin of playing "with human lives" as air raid alerts were heard across Ukraine in the last hour.

The Russian president announced his country will cease "all military operations" as part of an "Easter truce" in Ukraine.

That began in the last few minutes at 4pm UK time, 6pm in Kyiv. However, at 5.15pm, Zelenskyy said Russian attack drones "were detected in our skies".

"Ukrainian air defence and activation have already begun working to protect us," he said.

"Shahed drones in our skies reveal Putin's true attitude toward Easter and toward human life."