Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed yesterday to US President Donald Trump’s proposal for a month-long halt to strikes against energy infrastructure in Ukraine but stopped short of accepting a full US-backed 30-day ceasefire.
Talks aimed at advancing towards a broader peace plan will begin immediately, the White House said following a lengthy call between the two leaders.
Putin ordered the Russian military to stop attacks against energy sites after speaking with Trump, the Kremlin said in a statement. But he again raised concerns during the call that a temporary ceasefire might allow Ukraine to mobilise more soldiers and rearm itself.
Putin also emphasised that any resolution of the conflict would require an end to all military and intelligence assistance to Ukraine, the Kremlin added.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has warned that Putin is dragging out discussions as fighting continues. Russian forces are advancing in Ukraine’s east and pushing back Ukrainian troops from Russia’s Kursk region.
Negotiations on a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea, as well as a more complete ceasefire and a permanent peace deal, will commence immediately in the Middle East, the White House said in a statement, though it did not say whether Ukraine would be invited.
It was not clear whether Zelenskiy would agree to halt his military’s strikes on Russian energy targets. Since Russia’s 2022 invasion, Ukraine has tried to fight back against its much larger neighbour with drone and missile strikes deep in Russian territory, including on energy facilities. Those attacks, which Moscow says amount to terrorism, have allowed Kyiv to keep pressure on Russia’s economy.
In a social media post after the call, Trump said he and Putin had agreed to work quickly towards a ceasefire and eventually a permanent peace agreement.
“Many elements of a Contract for Peace were discussed, including the fact that thousands of soldiers are being killed, and both President Putin and President Zelenskyy would like to see it end,” he wrote, using an alternate spelling for the Ukrainian leader.
Trump has hinted that a permanent peace deal could include territorial concessions by Kyiv and control of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
Zelenskiy, who arrived in Helsinki for an official visit yesterday shortly after Trump and Putin’s call ended, said Europe must be included in Ukraine peace talks.
Speaking at a Press conference in Berlin with French President Emmanuel Macron yesterday, Germany’s outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz said the limited ceasefire was an important first step but again called for a complete ceasefire. He reiterated that Ukraine must be part of any final decision.
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