Russian President Vladimir Putin has accepted US President Donald Trump’s proposal for a month-long suspension of strikes against energy infrastructure in Ukraine, a limited ceasefire that Ukraine has expressed it would consider.
Nonetheless, Russia did not fully comply with the United States’ request for a complete 30-day halt to hostilities, and experts suggest that Mr. Putin may be buying time as Russian forces make advances in eastern Ukraine.
Following an extensive conversation between the two leaders, the White House announced that discussions aimed at moving toward a broader peace initiative would commence immediately; however, it remains unclear if Ukraine will participate.
According to a statement from the Kremlin, Mr. Putin instructed the Russian military to cease attacks on energy targets after his discussion with Mr. Trump.
He voiced concerns during the call that a temporary ceasefire could enable Ukraine to mobilize additional troops and enhance its weaponry.
Furthermore, Mr. Putin stressed that a resolution to the conflict would necessitate the cessation of all military and intelligence support to Ukraine, the Kremlin noted.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy stated that his country would contemplate endorsing the US proposal to halt strikes on energy infrastructure.
“I believe it would be appropriate for us to have a conversation with President Trump to understand in detail what the Russians offered the Americans or vice versa,” Mr. Zelensky told reporters during an online briefing.
Meanwhile, Russian forces are making progress in eastern Ukraine, pushing back Ukrainian troops from the Kursk region of Russia.
Before the call, Mr. Putin delivered a staunch anti-Western speech.
The White House announced that negotiations for a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea, as well as a more comprehensive ceasefire and permanent peace agreement, will begin immediately in the Middle East, although it did not specify whether Ukraine would be invited to these talks.
Since the onset of Russia’s invasion in 2022, Ukraine has been countering its significantly larger neighbor with drone and missile strikes deep into Russian territory, targeting energy facilities among others.
These strikes, which Russia deems acts of terrorism, have allowed Ukraine to maintain pressure on Russia’s economy.
Following their call, Mr. Trump tweeted that he and Mr. Putin had agreed to expedite efforts toward a ceasefire and ultimately a lasting peace settlement.
“Numerous elements of a Contract for Peace were discussed, including the tragic loss of thousands of soldiers, and both President Putin and President Zelenskyy desire to see it come to an end,” he wrote, using an alternative spelling for the Ukrainian leader.
On March 11, Ukraine expressed its readiness to accept a 30-day ceasefire, a move that US officials indicated would lead to more significant negotiations aimed at resolving Europe’s most considerable conflict since World War Two.
The war has resulted in hundreds of thousands of casualties, left millions displaced, and obliterated entire towns.
President Trump has suggested that a permanent peace accord could involve territorial concessions from Ukraine, as well as control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
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President Zelensky, who arrived in Helsinki for an official visit shortly after the conclusion of Mr. Trump and Mr. Putin’s call, stated that Europe must be included in the discussions regarding peace in Ukraine.
The discussions between the two leaders took place while Israel resumed its offensives against Hamas in Gaza, jeopardizing a fragile truce that had been partially brokered by a Trump envoy earlier this year and highlighting the challenges of achieving lasting ceasefires in protracted conflicts.
Additionally, the two leaders addressed ways to avert future conflicts in the Middle East and “shared the opinion that Iran should never be allowed to threaten Israel,” the White House reported.
The agreement on a limited ceasefire aligns with Mr. Trump’s wish to normalize relations with Russia and suggests that Mr. Putin may be stalling, according to Susan Colbourn, a specialist in European security at Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy.
“It was notable how few concessions Trump is requesting from the Russians, despite their invasion of their neighbor,” Ms. Colbourn remarked.
The US President’s overtures toward Mr. Putin since his return to the White House in January have left traditional US allies feeling uneasy.
A ceasefire on attacking energy infrastructure could benefit Russia, especially since Ukrainian forces have been effectively targeting Russian oil refineries, noted Maria Snegovaya, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Ukraine and its Western partners have consistently characterized Russia’s invasion as an imperialist land grab, with Mr. Zelensky accusing Mr. Putin of deliberately prolonging the conflict.
Mr. Zelensky has maintained that Ukraine’s sovereignty is non-negotiable and that Russia must relinquish the territory it has occupied.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen cautioned that Russia has significantly increased its military-industrial capacity in anticipation of “future confrontations with European democracies.”
During a press conference in Berlin alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, Germany’s outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz stated that the limited ceasefire was a significant initial step, but he again urged for a complete ceasefire. He reiterated that Ukraine must be involved in any final decisions.
In a conversation with Mr. Trump last night, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer “reiterated that all parties must collaborate to position Ukraine as strongly as possible to achieve a just and enduring peace,” a spokesperson for the British leader reported.
Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and seized most of four eastern Ukrainian regions following its invasion in February 2022.
Collectively, Russia currently controls about one-fifth of Ukraine’s territory.
Mr. Putin stated that he deployed troops to Ukraine due to NATO’s expanding presence, which he claimed threatened Russia’s security.
He has demanded that Ukraine abandon any aspirations to join the Western military alliance.
Moreover, Mr. Putin has stated that Russia must retain control of the territories it has taken, that Western sanctions should be alleviated, and that Ukraine should hold a presidential election.
President Zelensky, elected in 2019, continues to serve under the martial law he imposed as a result of the ongoing war.
