Key points
- Putin orders immediate pause to strike on Ukrainian energy infrastructure
- Further negotiations to begin immediately: White House
- Russia yet to agree to US-proposed 30-day truce
ISLAMABAD: Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed on Tuesday to stop attacking Ukrainian energy facilities temporarily but declined to endorse a full 30-day ceasefire that President Donald Trump hoped would be the first step toward a permanent peace deal.
Ukraine said it would support the scaled-back agreement, which would require both countries to hold off firing on each other’s energy infrastructure for about a month.
Reuters news agency reported that Putin avoided making significant concessions.
Putin said that, for a wider truce to work, Ukraine must not be allowed to rearm and must halt mandatory mobilisation.
“Frank exchange”
The Kremlin said the two leaders had a “detailed and frank exchange of views”.
Putin outlined a number of conditions for a possible ceasefire, including “the need to halt both forced mobilisation in Ukraine and the rearmament of the Ukrainian armed forces,” the Kremlin said.
According to AFP, he also questioned how such a ceasefire could be monitored.
Trump proposed a 30-day halt on strikes on energy targets and “Vladimir Putin responded positively and immediately gave the Russian military a corresponding command”, the statement added.
Prisoner swap
Russia and Ukraine will also swap 175 prisoners each on Wednesday following the call, the Kremlin said.
Putin said the Ukraine conflict could only be resolved long-term if the West halted military and intelligence support for Ukraine, AFP reported.
“The key condition for preventing an escalation of the conflict and working towards its resolution through political and diplomatic means should be a complete cessation of foreign military assistance and the provision of intelligence to Kyiv,” the Kremlin said.
Need for lasting peace
According to RT, Putin and Trump reaffirmed their commitment to achieving a “lasting peace” rather than a temporary solution for the Ukraine conflict.
Moscow regards the need to “eliminate the root causes of the crisis,” as well as meet “Russia’s legitimate interests in the area of security” and “the complete cessation of foreign military aid and the provision of intelligence information to Kiev,” as key elements required to achieve the goal, the Kremlin press service noted.
Ties between Russia and the US were also discussed, with both agreeing to work on mutually beneficial projects.
“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,” the White House said.
