US would welcome extension of "truce" in Ukraine after 20 April – US State Department

The US Department of State has stated that it would welcome an extension of the Easter truce announced by Russia until midnight on 20 April.

Source: a State Department spokesperson in an emailed statement on Sunday 20 April, as reported by Reuters

Quote: "We have seen President Putin's [Russian leader Vladimir Putin's – ed.] announcement of a temporary ceasefire due to Easter. We remain committed to achieving a full and comprehensive ceasefire. [N.B. Ukrainska Pravda does not recognise Putin as president – ed.]

As we assess their seriousness in this instance, we would welcome it extending beyond Sunday."

Background: 

• The Kremlin had said that Russian ruler Vladimir Putin had not ordered an extension of the so-called Easter truce, which the Russians did not observe anyway, after midnight on 20 April.
• On Saturday 19 April, Russian leader Vladimir Putin announced an Easter truce, which supposedly meant a halt to all hostilities in Ukraine from the evening of 19 April until midnight on 20 April. Meanwhile, Russia's Ministry of Defence stated that Russian forces would uphold the truce only if Ukraine did the same.
• Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine would mirror any Russian ceasefire. He also proposed to extend the truce beyond 20 April if a complete silence of arms truly prevails.
• Ukrainian defenders on most fronts have not witnessed the so-called Easter truce promised by the Russians, according to data from DeepState, a Ukrainian group of military analysts.
• Ukraine's General Staff reported that as of 16:00 on 20 April, despite Russia's declared "Easter truce", 45 combat clashes had already occurred along the front line, 20 of them on the Pokrovsk front.

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