Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday declared a unilateral Easter truce for the ongoing conflict with Ukraine.
The Russian army will stop all fighting during a 30-hour period from 18:00 on Saturday to midnight Sunday, Putin said in a televised meeting with Russian Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov.
Claiming the Russian forces are advancing across the entire front, Putin said the ceasefire was introduced on humanitarian grounds.
Putin said he assumed the Ukrainian side would follow Russia's example, but told Gerasimov to ready the troops to repel possible violations of the truce by Ukraine, including provocations and other aggressive actions.
The Russian ceasefire will test Kiev's sincerity in pursuing a ceasefire, ability to abide by a ceasefire, and willingness and ability to participate in peace talks and eliminate the original causes of the Ukraine crisis, Putin said.
During the meeting, Gerasimov said Russian troops had retaken 1,260 square kilometers, or 99.5 percent of territory seized by Ukraine in the Kursk region.
The Ukrainian side has yet to respond to the ceasefire declaration.
Putin announces Easter ceasefire in Ukraine conflict
Putin announces Easter ceasefire in Ukraine conflict
Major German car makers have reported net profit declines in the first quarter of 2025 as they face increasing operation challenges amid U.S. tariff-created uncertainties.
Volkswagen Group said its sales revenue in the first three months of 2025 grew by nearly three percent year on year, but the earnings after tax slumped about 41 percent from the previous year.
Challenges such as uncertainties in the global economy, increasing trade restrictions, and commodity volatility are placing pressure on the company's profitability, Volkswagen Group said in its financial results released on Wednesday.
Mercedes-Benz Group also reported a net profit reduction in the first quarter of 2025.
In its financial report released on Wednesday, the company said its first-quarter revenue amounted to 33.2 billion euros, down seven percent year on year, and its net profit stood at 1.73 billion euros, marking a 43-percent decline compared to the previous year.
Mercedes-Benz Group said that the U.S. tariff policy causes considerable uncertainty for the world economy, dims global growth prospects, and leads to weak consumer sentiment.
If the currently-announced U.S. tariffs are implemented and remain in place until the end of the year, they will have a negative impact on its business, Mercedes-Benz Group said.
On the same day, the German Association of the Automotive Industry called on the United States to roll back additional tariffs on automobiles and auto parts for vehicles and to resolve trade disputes through dialogue to create a sustainable environment for long-term development.
Major German carmakers report profit decline in Q1 2025
