 "This combination of pictures created on March 18, 2025 shows President Donald Trump (L) on the phone on January 28, 2017 in Washington, and Russia's President Vladimir Putin (R) on the phone Moscow on December 27, 2023. Image- AFP")
US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Tuesday agreed to a 30-day “energy and infrastructure ceasefire” in the Ukraine war and that broader truce talks should begin immediately, the White House said.
“These negotiations will begin immediately in West Asia,” the White House said in a statement, also citing a “huge upside” for economic and geopolitical goals if Russia and the United States improve their relations.
Tuesday’s agreement would represent a genuine de-escalation in the three-year war if implemented. The Kremlin made no mention of Ukraine’s specific stance on the temporary halt in the targeting of energy infrastructure, but said Trump’s proposal had spoken of “a mutual refusal.”
The agreement fell short however of a wider agreement that the U.S. had sought, and which was accepted by Ukraine, for a blanket 30-day truce in the war.
“During the conversation, Donald Trump put forward a proposal for the parties to the conflict to mutually refrain from striking energy infrastructure facilities for 30 days. Vladimir Putin responded positively to this initiative and immediately gave the Russian military the corresponding command,” the Kremlin said in a statement.
On the proposed wider truce Putin reiterated concerns that he had raised last week, according to the Kremlin’s readout.
“The Russian side outlined a number of significant points regarding ensuring effective control over a possible ceasefire along the entire line of combat contact, the need to stop forced mobilisation in Ukraine, and the rearming of the Ukrainian Armed Forces,” it said.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsRussian President Putin also set out conditions for a ceasefire during a phone call with US counterpart Donald Trump, including that Ukraine not be allowed to rearm, the Kremlin said Tuesday.
“The Russian side has outlined a number of essential points concerning effective control over a possible ceasefire along the entire contact line and the need to halt both forced mobilisation in Ukraine and the rearmament of the Ukrainian armed forces,” the statement said.
With inputs from agencies