Washington has been pushing for a full 30-day ceasefire, the first step towards a wider three-year-old settlement.
But Russian President Vladimir Putin refused on Tuesday in a 90-minute call with Donald Trump, insisting that any such deal would depend on any Western stopping military aid to Ukraine.
According to the Kremlin, Putin has ordered his army to suspend strikes against Ukrainian energy targets within 30 days.
The highly anticipated call from Putin and Trump also led to an announcement that Russia and Ukraine will exchange 175 prisoners respectively on Wednesday.
Zelenskyy welcomes the proposed energy-saving truce, but says he needs more “details” from Washington. Moscow launched a devastating attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure throughout the war, while Ukraine bombed multiple Russian oil installations using drones. After Ukraine, Ukraine has carried out several Russian oil installations in Ukraine.
“Especially the hit songs about civilian infrastructure,” Zelenskyy said, which included a hospital in Sumi.
“It is these types of Russian attacks that have damaged our energy sector, our infrastructure and the normal lives of Ukrainians,” Zelenskyy said.
“Today, Putin effectively rejected the proposal for a full ceasefire.”
In Kyiv, Ukrainians doubted any concessions from Putin.
Lev Sholoudko, 32, said he also doesn’t think even energy infrastructure will be spared.
“I don’t believe in Putin at all, not a word. He only understands power.”
“Not ready yet”
Trump said he had “understanding” with Putin and he had been seeking a breakthrough in the Ukrainian war since returning to the White House in January.
When he announced that he had negotiated directly with Russia to end the conflict, he shocked the world and sparked concerns among allies, and he was spinning too far to Moscow.
The U.S. president called his latest call with Putin “good and productive” and the White House said in readers that Russian leaders have agreed to a ceasefire on the energy infrastructure.
But Moscow also stressed that a more comprehensive truce depends on a long demand for a “complete cessation” of Western military and intelligence support for Ukraine’s embattled military support.
The Kremlin statement also stressed that Kiev cannot be reorganized or mobilized during any ceasefire.
Zelenskyy, who accepted a full ceasefire proposal last week in Saudi Arabia, slammed Russia for his unwillingness to reach a deal.
“They aren’t ready to end this war, we can see.”
Zelenskyy also said that Ukrainian troops would continue fighting in the Kursk region of Russia, with significant progress made in Russia partially occupied last year in Kiev in the following days.
“Reallying Us”
Russia said on Tuesday that Ukrainian forces had earlier attempted to launch a ground attack on the Belgorod area but were postponed, abandoning it as an attempt to undermine Trump’s conversation.
Trump has been planning to make an election promise to end the war in Ukraine, blaming his predecessor, Joe Biden, on Russia’s policies to fuel the war.
He pursued a completely different strategy, increasing his firm support for U.S. policy, most evident in his TV yelling match against Zelenskyy in the Oval Office.
Western allies are skeptical of Putin’s preparation for a ceasefire.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron have vowed to continue sending military aid to Ukraine.
“Ukraine can count on us,” Schultz said.
As the negotiations progressed, soldiers on the Ukrainian front also remained suspicious.
“How do you trust people who attack you and kill civilians, including children?” said Oleksandr, 35, who returned to military training in the Donetsk region after being injured in the fight.
