Putin agrees in Trump call to pause Ukraine energy attacks but no full ceasefire

According to a BBC correspondent at the US State Department, Tom Bateman, reporting from the White House, Russian President Vladimir Putin, after speaking with US President Donald Trump, only agreed to halt attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, refusing an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire. President Putin did not sign the month-long comprehensive ceasefire agreement recently reached between the Trump team and Ukraine in Saudi Arabia.

Putin stated that a comprehensive ceasefire would only be effective if foreign military aid and intelligence sharing to Ukraine were halted. Ukraine's European allies have previously rejected such conditions. US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff stated that US negotiations regarding the Ukraine issue are expected to continue in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Sunday.

In this three-year-long war of attrition, Russia recently reclaimed territory in the Kursk region that had been captured by Ukrainian invaders six months prior. The outcome of Tuesday's call between Trump and Putin indicates a softening of the US position compared to a week ago, although the two leaders did agree to hold further peace talks in the Middle East immediately. Last Tuesday, when the US delegation met with Ukrainian representatives in Jeddah, they persuaded Kyiv to agree to their proposal for an "immediate" 30-day ceasefire on land, in the air, and at sea.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Helsinki, Finland, for an official visit shortly after the call between Trump and Putin. He stated that Ukraine was open to the idea of a ceasefire, including regarding energy infrastructure, but wanted more details. Subsequently, he accused Putin of refusing a ceasefire after Russia launched a series of drone attacks. Zelenskyy stated that a hospital in Sumy and the power supply in Sloviansk were among the targets. He stated on X: "Unfortunately, there were indeed attacks, especially targeting civilian infrastructure. Today, Putin effectively rejected the proposal for a comprehensive ceasefire."

Trump had earlier posted on social media that his call with the Russian leader was "very good and productive" and that they had "discussed many elements of a peace deal." The US President stated on his Truth Social account: "We agreed to immediately halt all attacks on energy and infrastructure and understand that we will rapidly work towards a full ceasefire and ultimately an end to this very horrible war between Russia and Ukraine." Zelenskyy stated last September that approximately 80% of Ukraine's energy infrastructure had been destroyed by Russian bombs.

In response, Kyiv has conducted deep drone and missile strikes on oil and gas facilities inside Russia. Zelenskyy stated that Russia launched over 40 drone attacks on Ukraine in the hours following the call between Trump and Putin. Meanwhile, officials in Russia's southern Krasnodar region stated that a Ukrainian drone attack had caused a small fire at an oil depot. In the Russian region of Belgorod, which borders Ukraine, the governor stated that the situation "remains difficult." Moscow stated on Tuesday that Ukrainian forces had attempted a ground attack on Belgorod but were repelled.

Following the talks in Jeddah last week, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the "ball" was in Russia's court after the Ukrainians accepted Washington's proposed comprehensive ceasefire. But the White House statement following the call between Trump and Putin made no mention of an agreement with Kyiv. Instead, the statement said that the two leaders agreed that the "peace process would begin with a ceasefire on energy and infrastructure," followed by negotiations on a "Black Sea maritime ceasefire, a comprehensive ceasefire, and a permanent peace." But the Kremlin's own statement regarding the call noted that there were "a number of significant issues" regarding the implementation of any agreement reached with Kyiv. The statement said that ending foreign support and intelligence to Ukraine was a "key condition" for Russia.

Trump and Putin agreed to immediate technical-level talks to reach a longer-term solution, which the Kremlin said must be "complex, stable, and long-term." But it is unclear whether this means further negotiations between the US and Russia, or bilateral talks between Russia and Ukraine. The Kremlin also stated that Trump supported Putin's idea of holding an ice hockey match between American and Russian professional players. Russia has been banned from overseas ice hockey events since its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Kyiv is likely to view the outcome of Tuesday's highly anticipated phone call as Putin buying time while attaching unacceptable conditions to any solution. Putin has previously insisted that Russia should maintain control of the Ukrainian territory it occupies and has called for the easing of Western sanctions as part of any final peace agreement. The Russian leader has already tasted Trump's willingness to cut off US support for Ukraine and is trying to get him to repeat it – while kicking the ball back to Kyiv. Earlier this month, the US temporarily suspended military and intelligence aid to Ukraine after Trump and Zelenskyy had a falling out in the Oval Office. Trump and his Vice President JD Vance berated Zelenskyy in front of the world's media, accusing him of being ungrateful for US support.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz stated at a press conference in Berlin with French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday that a limited ceasefire plan was an important first step, but he reiterated his call for a comprehensive ceasefire. Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke with Zelenskyy after the call between Trump and Putin, and a Downing Street spokeswoman said that he "reiterated the UK's unwavering support."