Vladimir Putin, president of Russia, called for an “ Easter truce” in the war against Ukraine, which has been going on for over a year. He announced that Russia would "hold all military action" from 18:00 Moscow time 19 April to 00:00 Moscow time 21 April. This decision follows earlier failed truce attempts, including the “Christmas truce” announced in January 2023.
"Sustention of war" is the first step towards peace talks that can bring an end to the conflict. However, Ukraine and the West take this decision with a large reserve, given erstwhile experiences with truces that were not respected.
Vladimir Putin announced the decision to “a large-night truce” during a gathering at the Kremlin with the Chief of Staff, Valerij Gierasimov. - I'm ordering a cease-fire. We presume that the Ukrainian side will follow our example. At the same time, our troops must be prepared to defy possible violations of ceasefire and provocation from the enemy, all of his aggressive actions," Putin said.
The Western consequence to Putin's decision is skeptical. Ukraine and the West fear that Russia can usage the truce to regroup its forces and prepare for further attacks. The Ukrainian authorities point out that the ‘union’ cannot be simply an excuse to refresh the Russian armed forces.
In January 2023 Russia announced a “Christmas truce” which proved to be unsuccessful. The struggles continued and the losses on both sides were significant. Ukraine and the West are afraid that a "great truce" may prove to be another failed experiment.
The war in Ukraine has been going on for over a year and has caused crucial losses on both sides. According to UN data, since February 2022 more than 8,000 people have died and more than 13,000 have been injured. The conflict besides led to safety threats in the region and migration of hundreds of thousands of people.
Putin called on Ukraine to make a akin decision and halt the war. "The reaction to the Easter truce will show how sincere Kiev's ability and willingness to participate in peace talks are," stated the president of Russia. However, Ukraine and the West are cautious and do not trust Russia.
Russia and Ukraine have been talking for respective months now, but the results are small. The Parties are incapable to agree on the future of Donbas and Crimea. The conflict in Ukraine has been 1 of the most crucial events in Europe since planet War II.
The figures on the war in Ukraine are alarming. According to the UN, since February 2022:
* Over 8,000 people died
* Over 13,000 people were injured
* Over 4,000 children have been homeless
* Over 1,000 schools and educational institutions were destroyed
The war in Ukraine is not only a humanitarian crisis, but besides an economical one. The costs of war are immense and the economy of Ukraine and Russia are severely affected.
The 'Easter truce' is the first step towards peace talks that can bring an end to the conflict. However, Ukraine and the West are cautious and do not trust Russia. The war in Ukraine is simply a complicated conflict that requires reason and effort from all parties to come to a peaceful solution.
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War in Ukraine: Putin announces an Easter truce
