Ukraine and Russia have accused each other of violating a 30-hour truce, but it comes as diplomatic efforts pick up, Russia Editor Steve Rosenberg writes.

Russian President Vladimir Putin declared a brief Easter ceasefire in his war with Ukraine, a declaration met with skepticism in Kyiv as the war enters a crucial phase and US-led negotiations stall.

The sudden announcement of an "immediate truce" by Vladimir Putin on Holy Saturday surprised the world. Experts, however, see it not as a gesture of goodwill but as a political maneuver that may harm the idea of peace more than support it.