Trump noted that the weather conditions in Ukraine are extremely poor: “It’s not just cold there, it’s record cold. This is a serious problem, as people have never faced such frosts,” he said while speaking at a meeting with members of his administration on January 29.
According to Trump, Putin agreed to a temporary halt to attacks on Kyiv and other settlements. “That was very nice of him,” added the U.S. president, without specifying when exactly this conversation took place.
During the discussion, Trump also mentioned significant progress in negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, noting that agreements regarding territories are currently being considered.
Financial Times journalist Christopher Miller reported that Ukrainian officials learned of Russia's decision to halt strikes from Trump's statement, as they had not received any signals from Moscow and are unsure whether the ceasefire has actually come into effect.
According to the Financial Times, in recent negotiations in Abu Dhabi, the U.S. and Ukraine discussed for the first time the possibility of establishing a ceasefire regarding energy infrastructure targets. The idea was for both sides to agree to a temporary halt to attacks as a step towards de-escalating the conflict, according to FT sources.
“If they are ready to discuss a ceasefire, even a temporary one, it makes sense to engage in negotiations. We want that,” said a senior Ukrainian official.
At the time of Trump's statement, there were no comments from the Kremlin; however, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed gratitude to Trump on social media platform X.
“A significant statement from President Trump about the possibility of ensuring the safety of Kyiv and other cities in Ukraine from Russian attacks in the winter cold. Energy is the foundation of life, and we appreciate the efforts of our partners in protecting lives. Thank you, President Trump! The negotiations in the Emirates were productive, and we hope for the fulfillment of the agreements reached. De-escalation contributes to real progress towards ending the war,” Zelensky wrote.
Later, Trump stated that Russia had already suspended its attacks on Ukraine following his appeal to Putin. He made this remark during an event in the Oval Office.
“Russia has not been shelling (Ukraine) for some time due to the terrible weather,” he emphasized.
In January, Russian forces attacked Ukraine's energy facilities, leading to power and heating outages in several cities, including Kyiv.
