RUSSIAN President, Vladimir Putin, on Tuesday agreed in a call with his United States (US) counterpart, President Donald Trump, to halt attacks against Ukrainian energy targets, but would not accept an immediate full ceasefire and insisted that the West halts all military aid for Kyiv.
The US and Russian leaders spoke for over one hour and a half and both expressed hopes for repairing relations wrecked by Moscow’s full-scale invasion of its pro-Western neighbour three years ago.
But the highly anticipated call failed to produce the breakthrough Trump had hoped for, as there was no agreement from the Russian President for Washington’s proposed 30-day ceasefire, already agreed to by Ukraine.
In Kyiv, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he backed the energy truce, but believed Putin’s refusal of a wider peace showed he was not “ready” and still seeks to “weaken” Ukraine.
Trump insisted on his Truth Social network that they had “an understanding that we will be working quickly to have a Complete Ceasefire and, ultimately, an END to this very horrible War.”
The Kremlin, however, made it clear that any full truce was a way off- and dependent on Russian demands that both Ukraine and its Western allies would find hard to accept.
A Kremlin statement said Putin agreed to pause strikes against Ukraine energy targets for 30 days and that Putin had already given the order to his military.
The White House said separately that the “leaders agreed that the movement to peace will begin with an energy and infrastructure ceasefire.”
According to AFP, Russia has launched a series of devastating attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure throughout the winter, while Ukraine has used drones to bomb multiple Russian oil installations.
Trump and Putin also agreed that broader truce talks would “begin immediately,” the White House said in its statement, citing a “huge upside” if Russia and the US repair their relations.
But the Kremlin statement said the “key condition” for peace would be a “complete cessation” of Western military and intelligence support to Ukraine’s embattled military.
Explosions rang out and air raid sirens wailed over the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, a few hours after the call, in a sign that Russia appeared determined to press on with its wider offensive.
Trump has been intent on delivering on an election pledge to end fighting in Ukraine, blaming the policy of his predecessor, Joe Biden, on Russia for fueling the war.
He stunned the world in February this year when he announced a surprise call with Putin and the start of talks with Russia to end the conflict, sparking fears among allies that he was pivoting too far towards Moscow.
As Trump upended years of US policy staunchly backing Ukraine, he then had a televised shouting match with Zelensky in the Oval Office.
But Western allies have been skeptical that Putin is ready for a ceasefire. German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, and French President, Emmanuel Macron, vowed after the Kremlin statement that they would keep sending military aid to Ukraine, with Scholz saying: “Ukraine can count on us.”
The Europeans have also been wary that Trump will try to force through a deal that punishes Ukraine without demanding concessions of Russia.
Trump has said that he was ready to discuss “dividing up certain assets” of Ukraine’s, including land and power plants.
Under US pressure, Ukraine had already agreed to Washington’s proposal for a full 30-day ceasefire. It has also accepted a US plan to give it preferential access to Ukraine’s mineral resources.
But Putin has repeatedly said that there were further issues that needed discussion, mostly centering on its maximalist demands for the West to halt all support for Ukraine.
Russia has pressed on with a grinding advance in recent months in southern and eastern Ukraine, seizing back much of Russia’s Kursk region, parts of which Kyiv seized last year and was hoping to use as a bargaining chip.
Russia said on Tuesday that Ukrainian forces attempted a ground assault on the Belgorod region earlier, but were pushed back, casting it as an attempt to undermine the Trump talks.
Divergent Statements On Outcome
WHITE the White House said Trump and Putin had agreed on an immediate ceasefire for energy and infrastructure targets in the Russia-Ukraine war, and that call had achieved “movement to peace” in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but Kremlin made it clear that Russia has many additional demands before it will consider a broader ceasefire.
Much of the significantly shorter White House statement, meanwhile, looks ahead to Trump’s hopes of improved relations with Russia.
The statements released by the White House and Kremlin giving different versions of what Putin and Trump discussed, stating: “Today, President Trump and President Putin spoke about the need for peace and a ceasefire in the Ukraine war. Both leaders agreed this conflict needs to end with a lasting peace.
“They also stressed the need for improved bilateral relations between the United States and Russia. The blood and treasure that both Ukraine and Russia have been spending in this war would be better spent on the needs of their people.
“This conflict should never have started and should have been ended long ago with sincere and good faith peace efforts. The leaders agreed that the movement to peace will begin with an energy and infrastructure ceasefire, as well as technical negotiations on implementation of a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea, full ceasefire and permanent peace. These negotiations will begin immediately in the Middle East.
“The leaders spoke broadly about the Middle East as a region of potential cooperation to prevent future conflicts. They further discussed the need to stop proliferation of strategic weapons and will engage with others to ensure the broadest possible application.
“The two leaders shared the view that Iran should never be in a position to destroy Israel. The two leaders agreed that a future with an improved bilateral relationship between the United States and Russia has huge upside. This includes enormous economic deals and geopolitical stability when peace has been achieved.”
But Kremlin said: “The leaders continued a detailed and frank exchange of views on the situation around Ukraine.
“Vladimir Putin expressed gratitude to Donald Trump for his desire to help achieve the noble goal of ending hostilities and human losses.
“Having confirmed his fundamental commitment to a peaceful resolution of the conflict, the Russian President declared his readiness to thoroughly work out possible ways to resolve the conflict together with his American partners, which should be comprehensive, sustainable and long-term.
“And, of course, to take into account the absolute need to eliminate the root causes of the crisis and ensure Russia’s legitimate interests in the field of security.
“In the context of the U.S. President’s initiative to introduce a 30-day ceasefire, the Russian side outlined a number of significant points regarding ensuring effective control over a possible ceasefire along the entire line of contact, the necessity to stop the forced mobilisation in Ukraine and the rearmament of the Ukrainian armed forces.
“Serious risks associated with the Kyiv’s regime inability to respect agreements were also noted, given that it has repeatedly sabotaged and violated agreements that have been reached.
“Attention was drawn to the barbaric terrorist crimes committed by Ukrainian fighters against the civilian population of the Kursk region. It was emphasised that the key condition for preventing the escalation of the conflict and working toward its resolution through political and diplomatic means should be a complete cessation of foreign military aid and the provision of intelligence information to Kyiv.
“In connection with Donald Trump’s recent appeal to spare the lives of Ukrainian servicemen surrounded in the Kursk region, Vladimir Putin confirmed that the Russian side is ready to be guided by humanitarian considerations and, in the event of their surrender, guarantees the lives and decent treatment of the Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers in accordance with Russian laws and the norms of international law.
“During the conversation, Donald Trump put forward a proposal for the parties to the conflict to mutually refrain from attacks on energy infrastructure facilities for 30 days. Vladimir Putin responded positively to this initiative and immediately gave the Russian military the appropriate command.
“The Russian President also responded constructively to Donald Trump’s idea of implementing a well-known initiative concerning the safety of navigation in the Black Sea. It was agreed to begin negotiations to further work out specific details of such an agreement.
“Vladimir Putin informed that on March 19, a prisoner exchange will be carried out between the Russian and Ukrainian sides- 175 for 175 people.
“In addition, as a gesture of goodwill, 23 seriously wounded Ukrainian servicemen who are undergoing treatment in Russian medical institutions will be handed over.
“The leaders confirmed their intention to continue bilateral efforts to achieve a Ukrainian settlement, including taking into account the above-mentioned proposals of the U.S. President. For this purpose, Russian and American expert groups are being created.
“Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump also touched upon other issues on the international agenda, including the situation in the Middle East and the Red Sea region. Joint efforts will be made to stabilise the situation in crisis areas, establish cooperation on nuclear non-proliferation and global security.
“This, in turn, will contribute to improving the overall atmosphere of Russian-American relations. One of the positive examples is the vote made in solidarity in the U.N. on the resolution regarding the Ukrainian conflict.
“Mutual interest in normalising bilateral relations was expressed in light of the special responsibility of Russia and the United States for ensuring security and stability in the world. In this context, a wide range of areas in which our countries could establish interaction was considered.
“A number of ideas were discussed that are moving toward the development of mutually beneficial cooperation in the economy and energy sector.
“Donald Trump supported Vladimir Putin’s idea to organise hockey matches in the United States and Russia between Russian and American players playing in the NHL and KHL (Kontinental Hockey League).
“The presidents agreed to remain in contact on all issues raised.”
