PARIS, April 22, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot on Tuesday called Russian President Vladimir Putin's Ukraine Easter truce announcement "a marketing operation" aimed at mollifying US leader Donald Trump.

"The Easter truce that he announced somewhat unexpectedly was a marketing operation, a charm operation aimed at preventing President Trump from becoming impatient and angry," Barrot told the FranceInfo broadcaster, a day after Russia launched aerial attacks on Ukraine in an abrupt end to the fragile Easter truce.

The new attacks cast doubt on Trump's hopes for a broader ceasefire between the two sides, after he said a "deal" could be struck this week.

Trump has threatened to walk away from efforts to secure peace in the three-year war if he did not see progress.

Representatives from the US, Ukraine, Britain and France are to meet in London this week to resume ceasefire talks after last week's gathering in Paris that included notably Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff.