Speaking to Izvestia newspaper, Russian Foreign Ministry Ambassador Rodion Miroshnik said that Russia is unlikely to accept a longer ceasefire with Ukraine.
According to him, extending the ceasefire is not in Moscow's interests, because Kiev can take advantage of this time to "reorganize forces, consolidate fortifications, strengthen military capabilities and prepare for a new escalation".
The statement was made in the context of Russia announcing a short ceasefire on the occasion of Easter. According to a statement from the Kremlin, the ceasefire takes effect from 4 pm on April 11 (Moscow time), i.e. 8 pm on April 11 Vietnam time, until the end of April 12.
President Vladimir Putin has directed Russian forces to stop all military operations during this time, and maintain a state of readiness to respond if attacked.
On the Ukrainian side, President Volodymyr Zelensky also declared his willingness to take similar steps, showing the possibility that the two sides will temporarily de-escalate tensions during the holiday.
However, according to Mr. Miroshnik, the current ceasefire period is only very limited in nature, mainly to create conditions for people to celebrate important religious ceremonies. He emphasized that Russia has no intention of turning a short-term ceasefire into a long-term agreement.
Previously, Russia announced a ceasefire on Easter 2025, lasting 3 days. However, long-term ceasefire efforts between the two sides have so far not achieved a significant breakthrough.
In the context of the Russia-Ukraine conflict not showing signs of cooling down, symbolic short-term ceasefires such as Easter are considered rare, but not enough to open up prospects for a sustainable peace agreement.
