Christmas Ceasefires Mark History, But Russia Refuses to Pause Its War on Ukraine

Tales of holiday ceasefires date back to World War One. Perhaps the most famous ceasefire took place during the Christmas Truce of 1914 when British, French, and German soldiers along the Western Front temporarily paused fighting to celebrate the holiday. In Ukraine however, there is no peace to look forward to.

In 1914, countless stories emerged of World War One soldiers coming out from the trenches, exchanging greetings and small gifts like food and tobacco to celebrate Christmas. One British soldier set up a makeshift barbershop, charging Germans a few cigarettes each for a haircut. “Here we were laughing and chatting to men whom only a few hours before we were trying to kill!” a British soldier, John Ferguson, recalled. They even played impromptu soccer matches and sang Christmas carols together. “Looking back on it all, I wouldn’t have missed that unique and weird Christmas Day for anything,” said Bruce Bairnsfather, a British soldier. While not all soldiers took part in the festivities, many at least seized the opportunity to bury their dead and regroup from the fighting.

Attacks instead of ceasefire

Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Russia has chosen the holiday season to terrorize Ukrainians. Just this past week, Russia sent several ballistic missiles into Ukraine and while air defenses managed to shoot most down, one missile caused serious damage to civilian apartment buildings in downtown Kyiv, killing one and injuring dozens more. All of this just four days before Christmas. With bolstered air defenses, many hope that this holiday season will not be a repeat of years past.

In 2022, Russia shelled Kherson on Christmas day before launching a nationwide attack of over 69 cruise missiles just four days later on December 29th. The following evening, on December 30, it launched 16 Shahed drones into Ukraine. Seven shot down over Kyiv. On the final day of 2022, Russia launched more than 20 missiles into Ukraine, and while air defenses shot down 12, at least one person died, and over 20 were wounded in the country’s capital.

Unfortunately, the following year proved to be even worse. In 2023, Russia continued its pattern of escalating attacks on Ukraine during the holiday season. On Christmas Eve day, Russian forces launched artillery strikes on the southern region of Kherson, resulting in multiple civilian casualties. Then, on December 29, it launched one of its largest-ever aerial assaults since the beginning of its full-scale invasion, deploying over 158 missiles and drones across Ukraine into major population centers like Kyiv, Odesa, Kharkiv, and Lviv, leaving over 45 people dead. The following day, December 30, Russia attacked the center of Kharkiv. Then, in the early hours of New Year’s Day, yet another wide-scale attack was fired by Russia on Odesa, where a 15-year-old boy was killed as a result of a Shahed drone. Several others were wounded. All of this brutality came in the wake of an end-of-the-year address from Russian leader Vladamir Putin, where he claimed he would “never retreat.”

The double standard of Russia’s ceasefire narratives

Russia’s approach to ceasefires in its war against Ukraine reveals a troubling double standard. While Moscow refuses to observe humanitarian ceasefires, it simultaneously manipulates the narrative to cast Ukraine as the aggressor. This hypocrisy is amplified by figures—like Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán—who echo Kremlin talking points to pressure Ukraine into concessions that serve Russia’s interests.

Despite calls for “peace,” Russia has consistently violated potential ceasefire agreements or ignored them altogether, including during holidays such as Christmas. This starkly contrasts historical traditions of temporary truces, as seen during World War I’s iconic Christmas Truce of 1914. Instead of honoring such customs, Russia continues its aggressive attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure and civilians, exploiting moments of supposed “peace” as opportunities to regroup or gain strategic advantage.

Kyiv recently refuted Orbán’s claims that Ukraine has rejected ceasefire proposals and prisoner exchanges, highlighting that it is Russia that has failed to act in good faith. Ukrainian officials noted that calls for unilateral Ukrainian concessions are not only detached from the reality of the war but also embolden Russia’s ongoing violations of international norms. Orbán’s statements, often aligning with Moscow’s propaganda, further shift the blame onto Ukraine despite Russia’s clear role as the aggressor.

This dangerous narrative not only undermines Ukraine’s sovereignty but also seeks to erode international support by portraying Ukraine as obstructing peace efforts. In truth, Ukraine has shown willingness for meaningful prisoner swaps and humanitarian initiatives but rightfully insists these actions must not come at the cost of its territorial integrity or freedom. Russia’s refusal to engage in genuine ceasefires, coupled with its attempts to frame Ukraine as the aggressor, underscores the Kremlin’s reliance on manipulation rather than diplomacy to achieve its goals.

As Christmas approaches, Russia’s continued aggression against Ukraine serves as a stark reminder that what Russia says and what it actually does are often quite different. Instead of pauses in hostilities, Ukrainians face escalating attacks and the persistent threat of violence, contrasting sharply with the humanity of historical Christmas truces.