Russia calls a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine in observance of Orthodox Christmas. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his military to carry out a 36-hour ceasefire on the front lines of Ukraine for Orthodox Christmas and urged the Kyiv government to do the same.  

Putin’s announcement came just hours after the head of the Russian Orthodox Church called for such a ceasefire to allow Orthodox Christians to attend services. 

On Thursday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke with the Russian president and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in separate phone calls, in an effort to find a diplomatic solution. 

Joining the discussion:

• Michael O’Hanlon is a senior fellow and director of research in Foreign Policy at the Brookings Institution. 
• Anton Fedyashin is a Russian affairs expert and Professor of History at American University. 
• Vladimir Golstein is the Chair of the Department of Slavic Studies at Brown University. 
• Pavlo Kukhta served as the Acting Minister of Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture in the Zelenskyy government.

Russian President Vladimir Putin called for a 36-hour cease-fire for Russian Orthodox Christmas. A top Ukrainian official rejected the proposal, calling it hypocritical. https://t.co/e5C2KyAlpW

— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) January 5, 2023

#UPDATE Russia's spiritual leader, Patriarch Kirill — a staunch supporter of President Vladimir Putin and his offensive in Ukraine — on Thursday called for a ceasefire on Orthodox Christmas, celebrated this week by both countries ▶️ https://t.co/WERgEkYwAm pic.twitter.com/UcZYU3UqdO

— AFP News Agency (@AFP) January 5, 2023