Kyiv disregards Putin's proposed Christian holiday ceasefire as insignificant
Russia's President Vladimir Putin has ordered a 36-hour ceasefire on the Ukrainian frontline, starting on Friday at 12:00 Moscow time (09:00 GMT), coinciding with the Russian Orthodox Christmas celebration on 7 January[1].
The ceasefire was arranged in response to a request from the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, who asked for a Christmas truce to allow followers to attend church services for Orthodox Christmas[2].
The background of this ceasefire includes ongoing war negotiations and attempts to de-escalate hostilities at specific moments that hold cultural or symbolic significance for Russia[1][3]. The ceasefire was also tied to broader diplomatic efforts involving key figures such as Donald Trump, who proposed peace talks aiming at a final peace agreement rather than a temporary ceasefire, though no deal was finalized[1][3]. Putin’s demand for no ceasefire before a full agreement comes from his negotiating position which includes specific territorial and political conditions like Ukrainian withdrawal from Donetsk and Luhansk, freezing frontlines elsewhere, and formal recognition of Crimea as Russian territory[2][5].
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitro Kuleba has claimed that Moscow consistently ignores President Zelensky's suggestions for peace[6]. President Zelensky has stated that Russia intends to use the truce as a cover to stop Ukrainian developments in the eastern Donbas region and bring in more men and equipment[6].
The Orthodox Church of Ukraine, for the first time, allowed its members to celebrate Christmas on 25 December, as opposed to the traditional 7 January[7]. Mykhailo Podolyak, a Ukrainian governmental adviser, has stated that there can be no "temporary truce" until Russian forces withdraw from all occupied areas. He also called the ceasefire a "propaganda stunt" and an attempt by Russia to put pressure on Ukraine from European nations by claiming it is "humanistic"[4].
France and Germany have announced they will send armored fighting vehicles, while Germany has also stated it will follow the United States in providing a Patriot air defense missile system to Ukraine, along with armored vehicles[8]. Kyiv has consistently requested more support from its international allies despite ongoing Russian aggression.
The incident in Makiivka, where Russia admitted to a casualty of 89 soldiers in a Ukrainian strike on a short-term barracks, occurred on New Year's Eve, a significant holiday in Russia[9]. Loved ones, political leaders, and analysts have criticized the incident, blaming inexperienced military authorities[9]. Political analyst Tatyana Stanovaya suggested that the Kremlin may aim to prevent significant deaths on another important Russian holiday, such as Orthodox Christmas[10].
Thus, the 36-hour ceasefire tied to Orthodox Christmas serves as a limited, temporally symbolic pause in fighting, rooted in cultural considerations but embedded within a contentious and unresolved conflict and peace negotiation process. The ceasefire lacks a broader ceasefire or peace agreement backing, and experts suggest it is more a tactical pause than a step toward ending hostilities, especially given continued fighting and divergent views by international actors[3][4].
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