Putin agrees to avoid energy targets for the first time, if Ukraine does the same
Russian President Vladimir V. Putin agreed for the first time on Tuesday to a limited ceasefire that would prevent strikes on energy infrastructure as long as Ukraine does the same, the Kremlin said in a statement.
But in a two-and-a-half-hour call with President Trump, Russian leaders have refused to agree to a wider 30-day battle proposed by U.S. and Ukrainian officials, meaning attacks on Ukrainian civilians, cities and ports can continue as both sides compete for territory.
Nevertheless, if there is indeed a strike on both sides’ energy infrastructure, it would mark the first consensus-based attack in the Three Years’ War, which the White House described as the first step towards a broader peace.
A partial ceasefire will not only benefit Ukraine, but Ukraine has been working on Russia's repeated attacks on its energy grid. It will also be a relief to the Kremlin: Ukraine has launched a widespread blow to oil and gas facilities in the heart of Russia, which has jeopardized Moscow's most important national revenue.
The Kremlin said during Tuesday's call, Putin insisted that the lasting peace depends on a complete cessation of foreign military and intelligence assistance to Keeff.
Essentially, Mr. Putin demanded an end to all military support for Ukraine, which the United States and its allies have provided for three years. Mr. Trump and Vice President JD Vance is highly criticizing the billions of dollars the United States spent on war, but the White House doesn't mention the part of the discussion in its vague wording of the conversation.
The White House also did not describe any discussion after Russia seized about 20% of Ukrainian land, starting with the illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014.
The call seemed to have far exceeded what Mr. Trump hoped in his unveiling with Moscow, a peace that was within reach.
It is unclear whether Kyiv has signed a partial ceasefire agreement, although Ukraine has previously made similar proposals. Even after the Kremlin's announcement, air alarms sounded in Ukraine and other parts of Ukraine, with long-range drones emitting from the Ukrainian sky.
The Trump administration temporarily suspended military and intelligence aid to Ukraine earlier this month after an explosive confrontation between Mr. Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office earlier this month. Washington resumed the process of aid after U.S. and Ukrainian officials met in Saudi Arabia and agreed to a comprehensive 30-day ceasefire proposal. The Trump administration then brought the proposal to Moscow.
Mr. Putin, who is keen to avoid rapid reconciliation between the Kremlin and the White House, said the idea is “correct”, and Russia supports it in principle. But he went on to elaborate on conditions known to be unacceptable to Kyiv.
According to the Kremlin, Russian leaders reiterated these concerns in a call on Tuesday. The Kremlin said Putin raised the issue of “ensure effective control” to implement a ceasefire on the long front. The Russian leader also said Ukraine needs to suspend personnel mobilization and rescheduling, which Ukraine said would not accept.
On Sunday night, Mr. Trump told reporters that he hoped most of the discussion would focus on cede to Russia and the territory that controls nuclear power plants. This seems to indicate that he wants to discuss the fate of the largest Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Europe, which is now occupied by Russian forces. However, neither the Kremlin nor the White House mentioned any discussion about the power plant.
The government avoided discussion details, including any discussions between two men on land concessions, and they would pressure Mr. Zelensky in the name of ending the battle, aiming to maintain the maximum flexibility in the negotiation room. But it may also reflect a desire to avoid another open confrontation with Mr. Zelensky.
In recent days, senior Ukrainian officials have described three red lines for negotiations: Kiev will never formally accept Russia's sovereignty over the occupied Ukrainian territory, agree to neutrality or agree to reduce the size of its armed forces. Officials also said they had to get a part of any solution. France and Britain and others proposed to send troops to Ukraine as part of peacekeeping or “travel” forces, but the Kremlin rejected the idea. Military officials question whether it is feasible if the United States does not agree to support Europe's efforts in the crisis.
Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Mr Zelensky said Ukraine would not recognize the occupied territory as Russian under any circumstances, adding that he understood that “this is exactly what the Russians need, and it will stick to terms that it knows Ukraine cannot accept.” Last November, Mr Zelensky admitted that not all territories could be won by force and that they may have to continue to be under Russian control after reconciliation.
In its statement, the White House focused on issues outside Ukraine, saying Mr. Trump and Mr. Putin “has extensively spoke about the Middle East as a potential cooperation region” and “the need to stop the proliferation of strategic weapons.” The only remaining nuclear weapons restriction treaty between the United States and Russia will expire in February next year, and negotiations for replacements have not yet begun. Mr. Trump said during his first term that he would not sign a new weapons control treaty without China signing restrictions, although Beijing has no interest as it expands its arsenal.
For Mr. Trump, the Ukrainian ceasefire is the first step in establishing a broader normalization with Russia, even as most of his NATO allies follow the strategy of the past three years: Russia’s sanctions and containment and continue to provide assistance to Ukraine.
Ukrainian officials accused Mr. Putin of maintaining the leverage of negotiations and giving Russia time to continue bombing Ukrainian cities and towns.
In a statement, the White House said Mr. Trump and Mr. Putin had agreed to start “technical negotiations” on a wider maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea, where Russian ships are now almost inoperable and conduct “full ceasefire and permanent peace.” It said the conversations would “begin immediately in the Middle East.”
Marc Santora Reports from Kyiv.
