Leaders plan negotiations on a full ceasefire as Russia seeks security guarantees in peace talks
US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed on steps toward a peace deal in Ukraine, including an immediate ceasefire on energy and infrastructure, according to CNBC.
The two leaders reached this agreement during a 90-minute call on Tuesday, marking a potential shift in efforts to end the conflict.
Trump announced the agreement in a Truth Social post, stating, “We agreed to an immediate ceasefire on all Energy and Infrastructure.”
He added that the understanding includes working toward a “Complete Ceasefire and, ultimately, an END to this very horrible War between Russia and Ukraine.”
The Kremlin confirmed Putin’s order to the Russian military to halt attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure for 30 days.
Meanwhile, the White House reported that Trump and Putin also agreed to technical negotiations on a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea, alongside discussions for a full ceasefire and permanent peace.
These negotiations are set to begin immediately in the Middle East.
The call comes as the war in Ukraine enters its fourth year.
Last week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Kyiv would accept a 30-day ceasefire only if Russia committed to the same terms.
The White House has not yet confirmed the Kremlin’s interpretation of the call.
The White House’s summary of the call noted that Trump and Putin also discussed the Middle East as an area for potential cooperation to prevent future conflicts.
The statement emphasized that improving US-Russia relations could yield “enormous economic deals and geopolitical stability when peace has been achieved.”
Ahead of the call, Bloomberg reported that Russia was expected to set conditions for any ceasefire, potentially including a halt to weapons shipments to Ukraine.
Trump has indicated a willingness to negotiate terms with Russia, suggesting that discussions would involve Ukraine’s land and infrastructure.
“We will be talking about land. We will be talking about power plants,” Trump told reporters on Sunday.
He added that “both sides, Ukraine and Russia,” had already discussed “dividing up certain assets” but did not elaborate further.
Putin stated last week that he supported the ceasefire “in principle” but highlighted the need for additional negotiations.
“The idea [of a ceasefire] itself is correct and we are certainly supporting it, but there are issues that need to be discussed,” he said Thursday, according to an NBC translation.
He suggested further talks with Trump, saying, “Maybe call [US] President Trump and discuss it together. But we support the very idea of ending this conflict through peaceful means.”
Putin also questioned how the ceasefire would be enforced and whether Ukraine might use the pause to “supply weapons” or “train newly mobilized units.”
Zelenskyy dismissed Putin’s response as “manipulative.”
In an address last Thursday, he stated that Putin’s reaction was “very predictable” and suggested the Russian leader was already preparing to reject the ceasefire.
A temporary ceasefire could allow both sides to negotiate longer-term terms, but key differences remain.
Ukraine has repeatedly insisted on security guarantees and remains concerned about being pressured into conceding Russian-occupied territory.
Analysts are skeptical that Russia will fully commit to a truce, citing previous ceasefires before the full-scale invasion in 2022, which saw repeated violations.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko stated on Monday that the Kremlin would demand “ironclad security guarantees” in any peace deal. He outlined that Ukraine must remain neutral and NATO must refuse to accept Kyiv as a member.
“If we talk about a peaceful resolution of the conflict in Ukraine, then, of course, it will have an external outline,” Grushko told Izvestia.
He insisted that these guarantees were necessary to achieve “lasting peace in Ukraine and generally strengthen regional security.”
