Putin orders a 36-hour cease-fire

Islam News – President Vladimir Putin ordered a unilateral cease-fire for Russian troops from midday today to the end of tomorrow to observe the Orthodox Christmas, according to the Kremlin.

A senior Ukrainian official quickly dismissed the move as a “banal trick” and a “propaganda gesture,” though it remained unclear what Kyiv’s ultimate response would be and whether hostilities would actually cease along a nearly 700-mile front line.

Ukraine has expressed skepticism over Moscow’s previous pledges to exercise military restraint. In March, it accused Russia of violating a humanitarian cease-fire, which was meant to allow evacuations from the besieged city of Mariupol. Some pro-war Russian nationalists also dismissed the proposal, underlining the depth of mutual animosity.

Context: The cease-fire would be the broadest of its kind since Russia invaded Ukraine.

Diplomacy: Russia’s announcement came hours after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, who has positioned himself as a mediator, spoke to Putin and called for a cease-fire.

Source: The New York Times