Russian President Vladimir Putin rejected Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's proposal for a temporary moratorium on long-range strikes against civilian infrastructure, declined Zelensky's offer to extend Putin's own 30-hour Easter truce, and attempted to justify recent Russian strikes against civilian targets in Ukraine. Putin reiterated his rejection of the full ceasefire that Zelensky and the US have offered.
Russia started this war and has been the aggressor and violator in the conflict. Ukraine deserves the right to defend itself.