Zelensky Questions Ceasefire, Says Thirty Hours Is Too Short to See Russia's True Intentions and Proposes: “Thirty Days Could Give Peace a Chance”

Zelensky Questions Ceasefire, Says Thirty Hours Is Too Short to See Russia’s True Intentions and Proposes: “Thirty Days Could Give Peace a Chance”

Written by Romário Pereira de Carvalho

Published on 19/04/2025 at 20:28

Updated on 19/04/2025 at 20:58

Créditos: Gabinete Presidencial Ucraniano/Divulgação via Xinhua

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Zelensky Proposes 30-Day Truce and Accuses Russia of Violating Ceasefire Even Before Official Start

The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, reacted on Saturday (19) to the announcement of a ceasefire made by the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin. The so-called “Easter truce,” according to the Kremlin, would last for 30 hours. Zelensky, however, stated that Ukraine had already detected Russian drones in Ukrainian airspace even before the pause began. He also proposed extending the truce to 30 days.

Silence for Silence

Zelensky used the social media platform X to comment on the Russian proposal. He said that Ukraine is willing to follow Russia’s lead, should the ceasefire be genuine. “If Russia is suddenly ready to truly engage in a format of total and unconditional silence, Ukraine will act accordingly — mirroring Russia’s actions. Silence in response to silence, defensive attacks in response to attacks,” he wrote.

In the same post, Zelensky suggested extending the ceasefire. “If a complete ceasefire truly materializes, Ukraine proposes to extend it beyond Easter, April 20. That is what will reveal Russia’s true intentions — because 30 hours are enough to make headlines, but not for genuine confidence-building measures. Thirty days could give peace a chance.”

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No Confidence in Moscow’s Words

Despite the Russian announcement, Zelensky asserted that attacks are continuing on various fronts. According to him, this shows that the words coming from Moscow are not reliable. “We know very well how Moscow manipulates and we are prepared for anything. The Ukrainian Defense Forces will act rationally — responding in kind. Each Russian attack will be met with an appropriate response.”

The Ukrainian president also mentioned that the United States had already proposed a total ceasefire of 30 days in March, and that Ukraine accepted. However, according to him, Russia did not respond to the proposal for 39 days.

Skepticism in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Even before Zelensky’s statement, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister, Andrii Sybiha, commented on the country’s stance regarding the ceasefire. He stated that Ukraine would maintain the 30-day proposal and that Russia could accept it at any time.

“Unfortunately, we have a long history of statements [from Russia] not matching their actions. We know that their words are unreliable, and we will analyze actions, not words,” said Sybiha.

Putin’s Announcement and the First Signs of Violation

Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a 30-hour pause in the war against Ukraine. The truce began at 6 PM (Moscow time) on Saturday, corresponding to 12 PM in Brasília time. The end is scheduled for midnight on Monday (21), or 6 PM on Sunday (20) in Brazil.

Putin justified the pause for “humanitarian reasons” and expressed hope that the Ukrainian side would follow suit. “However, our troops must be prepared to repel possible violations of the truce and provocations from the enemy,” he declared.

Shortly after the announcement, Zelensky stated that Russian drones had been detected in Ukrainian skies at 5:15 PM — 45 minutes before the official start of the ceasefire.

According to him, the country’s air defense was already acting to neutralize the attacks. “Drones in our skies reveal Putin’s true attitude towards Easter and human life,” the president wrote.

Putin’s Condition

The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that its armed forces will respect the ceasefire, as long as the truce is also respected by Ukraine.

With information from G1.

Zelensky Questions Ceasefire, Says Thirty Hours Is Too Short to See Russia’s True Intentions and Proposes: “Thirty Days Could Give Peace a Chance”