U.S. President Donald Trump said Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed to temporarily halt attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities for one week, citing extreme winter weather that has pushed temperatures to dangerous levels across Ukraine.
Russia has not publicly confirmed the agreement, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the move, describing it as an important step toward protecting civilians during one of the coldest periods of the winter.
The reported pause comes as Ukraine faces a severe cold snap, with temperatures in Kyiv forecast to drop to –24°C (–11°F) in the coming days, putting millions at risk amid ongoing damage to the country’s energy infrastructure.
Speaking at a televised cabinet meeting in Washington on Thursday, Trump said he personally requested the temporary halt in strikes.
“I personally asked President Putin not to fire into Kyiv and the various towns for a week, and he agreed to do that,” Trump said.
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“It was very nice. A lot of people said, ‘Don’t waste the call, you’re not going to get that.’ And he did it.”
Trump added that Ukrainians were initially skeptical but relieved by the announcement, saying they were “very happy about it because they are struggling badly.”
While no official timeline for the pause has been confirmed, Ukraine’s air force reported that air raid sirens sounded overnight in only four regions near the front lines. Those areas were targeted by 80 Russian drones and a ballistic missile, according to Ukrainian military officials.
Zelensky later acknowledged Trump’s statement in a social media post, calling it an “important statement” on the possibility of providing security for Kyiv and other cities during extreme winter conditions.
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“Our teams discussed this in the United Arab Emirates,” Zelensky said, adding that Ukraine expects the agreements to be implemented.
The BBC also reported that Ukraine has agreed to mirror Moscow’s actions, including a temporary pause in strikes on Russian oil refineries, in response to the proposed freeze in attacks.