Breaking News : Putin agrees to partial ceasefire in Ukraine after Trump call…See More

Breaking News : Putin agrees to partial ceasefire in Ukraine after Trump call…See More
Mr Putin stopped short of backing a 30-day ceasefire and said any long-term deal would require a halt to intelligence sharing and military aid to Ukraine from its allies.

The Russian and US presidents spoke for about an hour and a half as the Trump administration aims to bring about an end to the conflict which started after Moscow’s forces carried out a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Mr Putin agreed to the limited ceasefire but stopped short of backing a broader 30-day pause in fighting that the White House is pushing for.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said after the call that he supports the US proposal to stop Kyiv’s strikes on Russian energy infrastructure.

Mr Zelenskyy added that the hopes to speak to Mr Trump to find out “what the Russians offered the Americans or what the Americans offered the Russians” during his conversation with Mr Putin.

He also said that future talks about Ukraine without Kyiv at the table will not bring results.
During talks led by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Saudi Arabia last week, Ukrainian officials agreed to the US proposal for a 30-day pause in fighting.

However, Mr Putin said during his call with Mr Trump on Tuesday that any long-term deal would require a complete halt to intelligence sharing and military aid to Ukraine from its allies.
Mr Zelenskky said in an online briefing after the call that Ukraine’s partners would never agree to such a move and that he hopes supplies will continue.

He added that Moscow’s demand was simply an example of Mr Putin attempting to weaken Ukraine.
The White House has said Mr Trump and Mr Putin agreed to a “movement to peace” it hopes will eventually include a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea and a full and lasting end to the fighting.

“These negotiations will begin immediately in the Middle East,” the White House added.

Mr Putin welcomed Mr Trump’s calls for the maritime ceasefire and “agreed to begin negotiations to further work out specific details of such an agreement”, according to the Kremlin.

Ukrainian officials had earlier proposed a ceasefire covering the Black Sea and long-range missile strikes and the release of prisoners at their meeting with the US delegation in Saudi Arabia earlier this month.
The Kremlin also said after the call that Russia and Ukraine will exchange 175 prisoners of war each on Wednesday.

Moscow added that it will also hand over 23 badly wounded soldiers to Ukraine.

Mr Zelenskyy responded by saying Russia could show it was serious about peace talks by freeing all prisoners.

Meanwhile, Moscow said in its recap of the call that Mr Trump supported an idea from Mr Putin to organise ice hockey matches in the US between professional players from America and Russia.

The White House’s account of the conversation did not mention hockey.
Shortly after the call, Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform: “We agreed to an immediate Ceasefire on all Energy and Infrastructure, with an understanding that we will be working quickly to have a Complete Ceasefire and, ultimately, an END to this very horrible War between Russia and Ukraine.”

Mr Zelenskyy remains sceptical that Mr Putin is ready for peace as Russian forces continue to pound Ukraine.

Mr Putin last week said he agreed in principle with the US proposal for a 30-day ceasefire, but emphasised that Russia would seek guarantees that Ukraine would not use a break in hostilities to rearm and continue mobilisation.