Zelenskyy says ceasefire proposal to Russia still stands as Easter ends

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reaffirmed on Monday that his proposal for a ceasefire with Russia remains in effect, conditional on Moscow halting attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure. The offer, communicated to Russia through U.S. intermediaries, was reiterated in Zelenskyy's nightly video address, where he stated, "If Russia is ready to stop strikes on our energy infrastructure, we will be ready to respond in kind." He emphasized that negotiations with U.S. officials on long-term security guarantees were ongoing and described them as vital to achieving durable peace. Despite the overture, overnight drone attacks attributed to Russia struck the Black Sea port city of Odesa, killing three people.

Zelenskyy noted that Russia had responded to the ceasefire proposal by deploying Iranian-designed Shahed drones, a move that undermined any sign of diplomatic goodwill. He expressed disappointment that Moscow had not honored calls for even a temporary truce during Easter, a significant religious period in both Ukraine and Russia. "We have repeatedly proposed to Russia a ceasefire at least for Easter, a special time of the year," Zelenskyy said. "But for them, all times are the same. Nothing is sacred." Last week, Russian officials dismissed the proposal, insisting they prefer a comprehensive peace agreement rather than incremental pauses in fighting. The latest attack on Odesa follows a pattern of strikes on critical infrastructure that has plagued Ukrainian cities throughout the conflict.

The U.S. continues to mediate discussions on security assurances for Ukraine, though no timeline has been given for their completion.