Kyiv, Ukraine. President Donald Trump said Vladimir Putin had agreed to refrain from firing on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities for a week because of cold winter weather. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy welcomed the initiative and said Ukraine expected any agreements to be implemented.
Trump statement on proposed pause
Trump told reporters at an event in the Oval Office that the United States had asked Putin to stop the shooting for a week. Trump said Putin agreed and that the United States appreciated the move, citing winter conditions.
Ukraine response and focus on energy targets
Zelenskiy said he thanked Washington for the initiative, which he described as halting Russian strikes on energy targets. He said de-escalation steps could contribute to progress toward ending the war and wrote on X that Ukraine expected the agreements to be implemented.
Situation in Kyiv after recent strikes
Emergency crews were still restoring heating and electricity in Kyiv that were knocked out by Russian air strikes last Saturday. Kyiv Mayor Vitaly Klitschko said 454 apartment buildings remained without heat, with overnight temperatures expected to dip to -10 Celsius on Friday and even lower next week.
No immediate comment from Moscow
There was no immediate comment from Moscow, which had earlier issued a new invitation for Zelenskiy to hold talks in Moscow, an offer he has long rejected.
Zelenskiy comments in nightly address
In his nightly video address, Zelenskiy thanked the United States for efforts to ensure a stop to strikes on energy targets. He said it remained to be seen what the situation would be with Ukraine’s energy facilities and cities in the coming days and nights.
What impact do you expect a week-long pause in strikes to have on restoration efforts in Kyiv?