Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a ceasefire in Ukraine to coincide with the Orthodox Easter holiday, according to the Kremlin. The temporary halt in hostilities is expected to last 32 hours over the weekend.

Putin indicated that Russia expects Ukraine to reciprocate with its own ceasefire declaration during the same period. The announcement comes as Orthodox Christians in both Russia and Ukraine prepare to observe Easter, one of the most significant holidays in the Orthodox calendar.

Ukrainian officials have expressed skepticism about the Russian ceasefire announcement. The wariness stems in part from experiences with a similar pause that was declared last year, with both sides subsequently accusing each other of violating that temporary cessation of hostilities.

Separately, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has indicated that talks aimed at ending the conflict could potentially resume in the near future. However, Zelensky expressed doubt about the likelihood of achieving a significant breakthrough in any renewed diplomatic efforts.

The announcement of the Orthodox Easter ceasefire comes amid ongoing military operations that have continued for more than a year since Russia's invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022. Previous attempts at temporary ceasefires and humanitarian corridors have had mixed results throughout the conflict.