As Orthodox Easter approached, Russian President Vladimir Putin made a familiar move: calling for a ceasefire in Ukraine. On the surface, this might seem like a gesture of goodwill — a nod to tradition, peace and religious observance. 

However, beneath that veneer lies a calculated attempt to manipulate the international narrative, particularly targeting U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration.

This Easter ceasefire is not a deviation from Russia’s strategy, but a continuation.

Russia has previously announced temporary truces around Christmas and during other Orthodox holy days. These gestures, however, have never been honored. Neither side observed the Christmas truce promoted by Putin around the Orthodox holiday in 2023, which Ukrainian authorities at the time labelled a "cynical trap.”

The so-called energy infrastructure ceasefire promoted by U.S. President Donald Trump in recent months was repeatedly broken by Russian missile and drone strikes. In the weeks after it started, Russia pulled out of the agreement. 

As we have seen in the past, Ukrainian cities remained under fire even as Russian diplomats declared temporary peace. President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Moscow of committing 3,000........

© The Moscow Times