WASHINGTON: Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to stop attacking Ukrainian “energy and infrastructure” but rejected President Trump’s proposal of a full, unconditional cease-fire with Ukraine.
Trump agreed to Putin’s revision for now, according to the White House, but discussions will continue on how to achieve the rest of the US president’s cease-fire aims.
“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,” the White House said in a statement. “These negotiations will begin immediately in the Middle East.”
The Kremlin’s readout of the call specified that only “energy infrastructure” would be subject to the ceasefire, should Kyiv agree to Moscow’s proposal, meaning Russia’s attacks on other civilian infrastructure would continue.
Putin also called on Trump to stop all military and intelligence assistance to Ukraine during the discussion, according to the Kremlin, but the US readout of the call did not mention the demand.
However, that American aid continued, suggesting that Trump rebuked Putin’s bold ask.
“Both leaders agreed this conflict needs to end with a lasting peace,” the White House said of the president’s call with Putin. “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.”
The US proposal was designed to reveal which party to the war was ready to talk peace, administration officials have said. It involved no terms other than a commitment to diplomatic talks, a pause on all hostilities, the exchange of prisoners of war and the return of Ukrainian children whom Russians have kidnapped.
Since the start of the Trump administration, the president has been pushing for Russia and Ukraine to first “stop the killing,” then hold negotiations under a cease-fire, according to the special envoy to Ukraine, Gen. Keith Kellogg.
Ahead of the scheduled call, Putin appeared in no hurry to pick up the phone to chat with Trump about the truce proposal