KYIV, Ukraine — In a significant development, Ukraine and Russia have tentatively agreed to a limited ceasefire following discussions with U.S. President Donald Trump. The details regarding the implementation and scope of the ceasefire, including what targets might be immune from attack, are still under negotiation.
The partial accord to ease hostilities came after Trump’s efforts to secure a full 30-day ceasefire were dismissed by Russian President Vladimir Putin. The complexities involved in preventing attacks on energy infrastructure underscore the substantial challenges Trump faces in trying to rapidly conclude the protracted conflict in line with his campaign promises.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine, following a productive call with Trump, announced that “technical” discussions are set to occur in Saudi Arabia over the weekend. These talks aim to address the specific types of infrastructure that the deal would safeguard.
However, discrepancies in the parties’ interpretations of the agreement were apparent immediately. While the White House claimed it included “energy and infrastructure,” the Kremlin focused on “energy infrastructure,” and Zelenskyy expressed hopes to protect railways and ports as well.
Zelenskyy emphasized on social media that halting strikes on civilian infrastructures could be an essential step toward completely ending the conflict. He asserted Ukraine’s readiness to implement this measure following Trump’s dialogue with Putin.
During Trump’s call, a proposal for the U.S. to acquire ownership of Ukraine’s power plants was floated, purportedly as a measure to secure these vital sites long-term. Trump suggested that American management could leverage its energy expertise to safeguard these facilities, according to a joint statement from White House officials.
Zelenskyy later elaborated that discussions encompassed the massive Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which has remained under Russian control since the beginning of the conflict. While recounting their conversation, he mentioned Trump proposing an “understanding” that would allow the U.S. to “restore” the plant.
The call, which Zelenskyy characterized as productive, happened shortly after a tense meeting in the Oval Office that resulted in Trump temporarily halting intelligence and military support to Ukraine. Additionally, during their discussion, Zelenskyy requested extra Patriot defense missile systems, to which Trump agreed to investigate further availability in Europe.
Putin, in his conversation with Trump, agreed to desist from targeting Ukraine’s energy grid but refused to consent to the 30-day ceasefire initially proposed by Trump. According to the Kremlin, Putin emphasized that any negotiations must include halting foreign military aid and information sharing, a stance firmly denied by White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt.
Before engaging with Trump, Zelenskyy criticized Putin’s limited ceasefire offer as inconsistent with the ongoing reality, citing recent Russian drone strikes across Ukraine as evidence.
Russia’s government retorted that Kyiv violated the ceasefire by allegedly attacking Russian equipment. Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin’s spokesperson, mentioned a lack of reciprocity from Kyiv, attributing this to concerns over maintaining peace.
The White House alluded to the talks between Trump and Putin as a preliminary step towards peace but acknowledged that Putin remained firm on his conditions, which Kyiv finds unacceptable.
Zelenskyy agreed to explore the ceasefire but remained skeptical about Putin’s intentions to resolve the conflict, suggesting that Russia aims to prolong the war until reaching a more advantageous position.
Technical discussions involving U.S., Ukrainian, and Russian specialists are slated to take place in Saudi Arabia to further elaborate on the ceasefire terms. It was unclear whether the U.S. meetings with representatives from both countries would occur jointly or separately.
Following a recent conversation between Trump and Putin, air raid alarms echoed in Kyiv, signifying continued hostilities. Ukraine reported several infrastructural damages, pointing to multiple Russian drone strikes as the cause.
In defense, Russia claimed its latest strikes did not target energy infrastructure following Putin’s directive. The Russian Defense Ministry countered that Kyiv had attacked Russian energy facilities, an accusation they branded as a deliberate provocation.
Notably, Russia reported intercepting numerous Ukrainian drones over several regions, and both countries accused each other of perpetuating attacks despite ceasefire negotiations.
Meanwhile, a significant prisoner swap occurred between the conflicting parties, marking a substantial exchange within the war’s progression.
Zelenskyy set firm conditions for a prospective peace settlement, particularly rejecting demands that would halt Western military and intelligence support, citing this as critical for Ukraine’s defense.
Regarding territorial negotiations, Zelenskyy established that he would not entertain any discussions that concede recognition of occupied Ukrainian territories as Russian.