Russia has agreed to a temporary halt in attacks on energy and infrastructure but will continue its front-line offensive following a phone call between world leaders. However, Vladimir Putin rejected Donald Trump’s proposal for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine after what was described as a "frank" discussion between the two presidents.
Instead, the Russian leader agreed to a 30-day suspension of strikes on key infrastructure and pledged to engage in further negotiations on de-escalating hostilities in the Black Sea region.
Putin also stipulated that Ukraine must refrain from rearming or mobilizing forces during the truce. Additionally, he called for a "complete cessation" of Western military and intelligence support to Kyiv.
France and Germany reaffirmed their commitment to supplying weapons to Ukraine on Tuesday night, casting doubt on whether an agreement based on Putin’s terms would hold. The British government has yet to comment on whether it will follow suit. Meanwhile, shortly after the Trump-Putin call, explosions and air raid sirens were reported in Kyiv, prompting authorities to urge residents to seek shelter from potential Russian aerial attacks.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky responded to the developments by stating that the Kremlin was "not ready" to end the war, accusing Moscow of using peace talks as a means to weaken Ukraine. He said he would consult with U.S. negotiators before responding to the offer of a partial truce. “After we get the details from the U.S. president, from the U.S. side, we will give our answer,” he said.
The 90-minute phone call between Trump and Putin occurred as Europe ramped up efforts to strengthen its defense. Germany passed a sweeping military spending package, dubbed a “fiscal bazooka,” while France announced plans to deploy nuclear-armed fighter jets to its eastern border.
Before the call, Putin had dismissed Western dominance as "slipping away" during a conference in Russia. He reportedly kept Trump waiting for an hour while addressing an audience in Moscow, where he criticized the G7 as "small and irrelevant." The discussion between the two leaders came after Washington and Kyiv had tentatively agreed on a proposal for a 30-day ceasefire covering long-range missile strikes.
Trump warned Putin that failure to accept the ceasefire plan—endorsed by Ukraine and negotiated under heavy White House pressure—could result in new sanctions. Following the call, Trump portrayed the conversation in a positive light, stating on Truth Social: “My phone conversation today with President Putin of Russia was a very good and productive one.”
He continued: “We agreed to an immediate ceasefire on all energy and infrastructure, with an understanding that we will be working quickly to achieve a complete ceasefire and, ultimately, an END to this very horrible war between Russia and Ukraine.”
He added, “This war would have never started if I were president!”
Under the agreement, Russia and Ukraine are set to exchange 175 prisoners of war on Wednesday, including 23 seriously wounded Ukrainian soldiers currently receiving treatment in Russia. Meanwhile, negotiations aimed at reaching a broader peace deal are set to begin immediately, according to the White House.
The Kremlin confirmed Trump’s proposal, stating: “Donald Trump proposed that parties to the conflict should mutually refrain from strikes on energy infrastructure facilities for 30 days. Vladimir Putin responded positively to this initiative and immediately gave the Russian military the corresponding order.”
In an unexpected move, Putin also proposed a hockey match between the U.S. and Russia.
European leaders, including British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and President Zelensky, have warned that Putin is using negotiations to stall while his military advances. Russian forces are currently gaining ground in eastern Ukraine and pushing back Ukrainian troops near Russia’s Kursk region.
Analysts warn that a limited ceasefire focused on energy infrastructure could hurt Ukraine more than Russia by depriving Kyiv of one of its few advantages in the war: long-range drone strikes. Ukraine has significantly disrupted Russian energy production with strikes on oil refineries up to 1,000 km from the border. However, Russian attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure have also caused prolonged blackouts, especially during winter months.
Glen Grant, a former UK defense attaché to the Baltics and a past adviser to Ukraine’s defense ministry, noted: “Russia needed a stop on attacks on energy infrastructure, as Kyiv was doing more damage to Russia through that than the other way around.” He added, “Likewise, Russia hasn’t put any ships into the Black Sea for about a year because Ukraine’s naval drones have been disrupting their fleet.”
He also suggested that the prisoner exchange had likely been in the works before the Trump-Putin call.
Ahead of the call, reports speculated that Trump might concede to Russian demands to end U.S. intelligence, aid, and military support to Ukraine in order to secure a ceasefire. Such a move would shift the burden onto Europe, which analysts acknowledge is not yet prepared to fully replace American backing.
European diplomats, dismayed by Ukraine’s exclusion from the ceasefire discussions, told The Telegraph that the call “could have been worse.”
Meanwhile, in Berlin, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz reassured Zelensky of their continued support. “We both agree that Ukraine can count on us, that Ukraine can count on Europe, and that we will not let Kyiv down,” Scholz stated.
Macron emphasized: “We will continue to support the Ukrainian army in its war of resistance against Russian aggression.”
Macron and Starmer are spearheading efforts to establish a coalition of willing nations, backed by U.S. security guarantees, to oversee an eventual peace settlement in Ukraine. However, Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni cast doubt on the feasibility of a European peacekeeping force, calling it “risky, complex, and ineffective.”
In a separate speech, Macron stressed that a lasting peace must include a “measurable and verifiable ceasefire” fully respected by all parties. He added that peace negotiations could not be considered legitimate unless Ukraine had a seat at the table.
During a visit to the Luxeuil-les-Bains air base near the German border, Macron announced plans to station nuclear-armed fighter jets at an airbase in eastern France by 2035. The site would be the first to receive the next-generation Rafale jet, equipped with hypersonic nuclear missiles.
Additionally, Macron met with Friedrich Merz, Germany’s newly elected chancellor, who recently secured a historic debt package to fund a large-scale military and infrastructure overhaul. Merz, a fiscal conservative, described the package as “the first major step towards a new European defense community.”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer discussed the ceasefire negotiations with Zelensky on Tuesday night. A Downing Street spokesperson confirmed: “The Prime Minister spoke to President Zelensky this evening. They discussed the progress President Trump had made toward a ceasefire in talks with Russia.”
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