US President Donald Trump has made a surprise claim that Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed to halt strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure for a week, citing his personal appeal to Putin due to the extreme cold in Ukraine.
According to Trump, he personally asked Putin not to target Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities with missile strikes for a week, and Putin allegedly agreed. However, neither Russia nor Ukraine have officially confirmed this development, with Zelenskyy stating that while Trump's statement was "important," no concrete agreements had been reached.
Trump made the claim during a cabinet meeting at the White House on Thursday, stating that he had to "tell you it was very nice" when Putin agreed to the ceasefire. The request was allegedly made during a previously unreported phone call between the two leaders.
Both Russia and Ukraine appeared taken aback by Trump's public announcement of the agreement, with Zelenskyy later revealing that a temporary ceasefire on power plants and other vital energy infrastructure had been discussed between the two sides.
The claim comes as Ukraine struggles to cope with the extreme cold, with temperatures expected to drop to -20C in the coming weeks. The country has already suffered significant disruptions due to recent Russian missile and drone strikes, leaving over 1 million people without power and more than 6,000 buildings without heating.
Despite the reported ceasefire, tensions remain high, with Zelenskyy warning that Russia was preparing for a new strike against Ukraine. Trump also claimed to have informed Ukrainian officials about the agreement, saying they were "very happy" about it.
The situation remains fluid, with both sides set to engage in talks this weekend that will focus on military contacts and efforts at monitoring a potential ceasefire.
According to Trump, he personally asked Putin not to target Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities with missile strikes for a week, and Putin allegedly agreed. However, neither Russia nor Ukraine have officially confirmed this development, with Zelenskyy stating that while Trump's statement was "important," no concrete agreements had been reached.
Trump made the claim during a cabinet meeting at the White House on Thursday, stating that he had to "tell you it was very nice" when Putin agreed to the ceasefire. The request was allegedly made during a previously unreported phone call between the two leaders.
Both Russia and Ukraine appeared taken aback by Trump's public announcement of the agreement, with Zelenskyy later revealing that a temporary ceasefire on power plants and other vital energy infrastructure had been discussed between the two sides.
The claim comes as Ukraine struggles to cope with the extreme cold, with temperatures expected to drop to -20C in the coming weeks. The country has already suffered significant disruptions due to recent Russian missile and drone strikes, leaving over 1 million people without power and more than 6,000 buildings without heating.
Despite the reported ceasefire, tensions remain high, with Zelenskyy warning that Russia was preparing for a new strike against Ukraine. Trump also claimed to have informed Ukrainian officials about the agreement, saying they were "very happy" about it.
The situation remains fluid, with both sides set to engage in talks this weekend that will focus on military contacts and efforts at monitoring a potential ceasefire.