In a surprising diplomatic development, former U.S. President Donald Trump has asserted that Russian President Vladimir Putin consented to suspend military operations against Kyiv and other Ukrainian urban centers for one week. This announcement came during a White House cabinet meeting where Trump emphasized his personal intervention regarding the ongoing conflict.
The timing of this claimed agreement coincides with Ukraine experiencing its most severe winter since the invasion began, with temperatures forecasted to plummet to life-threatening lows of minus 30 degrees Celsius. Russian strikes on critical energy infrastructure have already created a humanitarian emergency, leaving millions without reliable access to electricity, heating, and clean water during these extreme conditions.
Trump elaborated on his conversation with Putin, stating: ‘Given the extraordinary cold weather—record-setting conditions similar to what we’re experiencing in Washington—I personally requested President Putin refrain from attacks on Ukrainian population centers for this seven-day period. He agreed to this arrangement, which I consider a humanitarian gesture.’
The Kremlin has not immediately verified Trump’s account of the agreement. This would represent a significant development given that previous diplomatic engagements between Trump and Putin, including their Alaska summit in August, failed to produce substantial breakthroughs in the conflict.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned of continued Russian targeting of energy facilities, even as emergency services work to restore critical infrastructure. Regional authorities reported that Russian attacks resulted in six civilian fatalities in central and southern Ukraine on Thursday alone.
Trump additionally suggested that U.S.-mediated negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow have shown ‘considerable progress’ toward resolving the conflict, which approaches its fifth year of ongoing hostilities.