Putin’s Easter ceasefire was a PR stunt to appeal to Trump, France says

Politico reported the information.

France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said Russia's so-called Easter truce was a staged move aimed at appealing to U.S. President Donald Trump. He emphasized that the ceasefire was purely for show and not genuinely respected by Moscow.

“The Easter truce that he announced somewhat unexpectedly was a marketing operation, a charm operation aimed at preventing President Trump from becoming impatient and angry,” Barrot said.

As Trump's efforts to broker peace between Russia and Ukraine have faltered, his frustration has grown. He has reportedly expressed anger at Putin and criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Moscow dismissed Ukraine's proposal for a full ceasefire, presenting numerous conditions and delaying questions. It also repeatedly violated the agreement not to target Ukraine's infrastructure for 30 days.

In response to speculation about a potential deal between Russia and Ukraine set for "this week," Barrot confirmed that discussions are ongoing and will continue in London. He added that the next meeting of negotiators is scheduled for Wednesday, April 23, in London.

The Minister stressed the importance of compromise and courage from Ukraine, which has accepted the U.S. proposal for a 30-day general ceasefire. Barrot also emphasized that the issue of peace should now be directly addressed with Vladimir Putin, as it is Russia that must take the necessary steps to reach a peace agreement.

Putin’s ‘Easter truce’

Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin unilaterally declared an "Easter truce" starting at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 19.

Leading up to 6:00 p.m., air raid alerts continued in Kyiv, and Russian drones were shot down over the capital’s Left Bank.

At 5:30 p.m., Russia launched a missile strike on Izyum in the Kharkiv region. Even after the announced start of the truce, Russian FPV drones continued hitting targets in the Kherson region.

After 9:00 p.m. on April 19, Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief briefed President Zelenskyy with updated information from all frontline sectors regarding the implementation of Putin’s so-called “Easter truce.” At that time, it was reported that while some areas had quieted down, others remained active with ongoing hostilities.

As of the morning of Easter, April 20, the Russian army tried to create the overall impression of a ceasefire on the front but continued isolated attempts to advance and inflict losses on Ukraine.

Russian forces also used the "truce" on April 20 to prepare for renewed assaults in the area of responsibility of Ukraine's 66th Brigade named after Prince Mstyslav the Brave.