US President Donald Trump has announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed not to attack Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, and other cities for a week due to what he calls 'extraordinary cold' weather.
While Russia has not confirmed this assertion, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed optimism, stating he expects the agreement to be honored. Trump did not inform when the ceasefire would take effect, but forecasted temperatures in Kyiv are anticipated to drop significantly, hitting as low as -24C (-11F) in the coming days.
Over the past winter months, Russia has intensified its assaults on Ukraine’s energy systems, which have historically spiked during cold weather since the onset of the full-scale invasion in 2022.
During a televised cabinet meeting, Trump asserted, 'I personally asked President Putin not to fire into Kyiv and the various towns for a week, and he agreed to do that,' describing the response as significant. He said, 'A lot of people said, 'Don't waste the call, you're not going to get that.' And he did it.'
Following Trump's remarks, President Zelensky called it an important statement regarding the safety of Kyiv during this harsh winter context, confirming that discussions were already held concerning the topic previously in the UAE.
Interestingly, Ukraine appears ready to reciprocate by pausing its attacks on Russian oil refineries. However, recent trilateral negotiations involving Russian, Ukrainian, and US diplomats yielded no confirmed agreements on pausing attacks through the bitter cold gripping the region.
Meanwhile, assault claims by Russian forces continue, and as Ukrainian cities grapple with power supply failures, many citizens are left without heat or electricity, conditions made worse by the ongoing winter chill.
Repair efforts by electrical companies remain ongoing, yet the progress is frequently disrupted by further Russian aerial assaults, leaving residents reliant on sporadic power restoration to maintain some semblance of warmth within their homes.
