Photo : RTE
Photo : RTE
By Padmashree Anandhan
WAR ON GROUND
On 21 April, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that further ceasefire talks will take place in London this week. It will include Ukraine, the UK, France, and the US. Following a conversation with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Zelenskyy emphasized the shared commitment among the partners to pursue an unconditional ceasefire as the first step toward a lasting peace. He criticized Russia for continuing hostilities over Easter, which he said demonstrated Moscow’s lack of interest in ending the war. The upcoming London talks follow recent negotiations in Paris, and come amid warnings from the Trump administration that the US could shift focus away from Ukraine if talks stall.
On 21 April, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun expressed support for ongoing ceasefire initiatives in the Ukraine war. He said that Beijing “welcomes all efforts" that contribute to halting hostilities. This comes after the Easter truce that saw mutual accusations of violations by both Russia and Ukraine, Guo reiterated China’s stance that dialogue and negotiation are essential for resolving the conflict. While claiming neutrality, China has maintained close ties with Russia and previously proposed its peace plan, which has been met with skepticism by Ukraine and Western allies.
On 21 April, the Kremlin confirmed that there were no new orders to extend the 30-hour Easter ceasefire. The same was confirmed by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: “There were no other commands” beyond the original timeframe. Ukraine’s Commander Oleksandr Syrskyi reported continued Russian use of heavy weaponry across Pokrovsk and Siversk areas of Donetsk.
THE MOSCOW VIEW
Claims by Russia
On 21 April, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin said that the Kremlin would "analyze" Zelenskyy’s proposal to extend a ceasefire specifically targeting air strikes on civilian infrastructure. While Ukraine claims such attacks were the only ones that stopped during the brief Easter truce, Putin stated the proposal as a topic for “thorough study” and possibly bilateral discussion. He reiterated Russia: "Has always talked about this" and supports "any peace initiatives."
On the same day Peskov welcomed the statements by US Ukraine envoy General Keith Kellogg, who said NATO membership for Kyiv is "off the table." Russia has long demanded stated NATO’s expansion as a key justification for its 2022 invasion and Peskov noted that US had communicated this stance "at various levels." He added that the development "coincides with our position," reinforcing Russia’s call on Ukraine remaining outside the NATO alliance.
On 21 April, Russian forces resumed military operations across Ukraine marking the end of the 30-hour Easter ceasefire. According to Russia's defence ministry, its troops continued the "special military operation" immediately after the truce expired, claiming they had strictly observed the ceasefire period. Meanwhile, Ukraine reported that Russia launched 96 drones and three missiles targeting regions including Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Cherkasy. Ukraine’s air force said it intercepted 42 drones and redirected another 47 using electronic warfare systems.
THE WEST VIEW
Responses from the US and Europe
On 21 April, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed strong support for Ukraine’s call for a full ceasefire during a phone conversation with Zelenskyy. According to the statement, he reaffirmed the UK’s “iron-clad support” for Ukraine and endorsed Kyiv’s push for Russia to commit to a comprehensive halt in hostilities. The statement urged Russia’s President Vladimir Putin to demonstrate genuine intent to end the conflict, following a short-lived Easter truce marred by mutual accusations of violations. The UK is also expected to host further ceasefire talks with representatives from Ukraine, France, and the US.