Uncertainty remained Friday over the scope and timing of a pledge by Russia to temporarily suspend attacks on Ukraine, after U.S. President Donald Trump said he secured a short-term commitment from Russian President Vladimir Putin amid one of Ukraine’s harshest winters in years.
Trump said late Thursday that Putin had agreed to halt strikes on Kyiv and other cities for a limited period as freezing temperatures continue to worsen living conditions for civilians.
“I personally asked President Putin not to strike Kyiv or other cities for a week during this period of extreme cold,” Trump said during a White House Cabinet meeting, adding that Putin had agreed. Trump did not clarify when the request was made or when the pause would take effect.
The White House did not immediately provide further details regarding the duration or scope of the reported halt.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed Friday that Trump made a direct request to Putin to stop attacks on Kyiv until Feb. 1 in order to create conditions favorable for negotiations.
However, the reference to Feb. 1 raised questions, as the date is only days away and the coldest weather is expected to arrive starting Sunday, making the rationale for such a narrow time frame unclear.
Throughout the war, Russia has repeatedly targeted Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in what Ukrainian officials describe as an effort to deprive civilians of electricity, heating, and water during winter.
When asked whether Moscow had accepted Trump’s proposal, Peskov replied affirmatively but declined to specify whether the pause would apply only to energy facilities or to all aerial attacks, or when it would formally begin.
Conflicting signals on the ground
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday that while Russian strikes hit energy facilities in several regions on Thursday, no such attacks were reported overnight. He added, however, that Russia continued to target logistics networks and residential areas with drones and missiles, as it has on most nights during the conflict.
Although Trump characterized Putin’s response as a concession, Zelenskyy expressed doubt that Russia is genuinely seeking an end to the war, which will mark its fourth anniversary on Feb. 24.
“I do not believe Russia wants to stop this war. There is substantial evidence suggesting otherwise,” Zelenskyy said Thursday. He reiterated that Ukraine is prepared to halt attacks on Russian energy assets, including oil refineries, if Moscow also stops targeting Ukraine’s power grid and related infrastructure.
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According to Ukraine’s Air Force, Russia launched 111 drones and one ballistic missile overnight, injuring at least three people. Russia’s Defense Ministry said its air defenses intercepted 18 Ukrainian drones over several regions, as well as over Crimea and the Black Sea.
Severe cold ahead
Meteorologists warned that Kyiv and other areas, already suffering from electricity shortages, are facing an intense cold spell beginning Friday and extending into next week. In some regions, temperatures could plunge to minus 30 degrees Celsius (minus 22 Fahrenheit), according to the State Emergency Service.
Zelenskyy said the idea of a temporary halt in energy-related attacks was discussed during talks in Abu Dhabi last weekend involving representatives from Ukraine, Russia and the United States. He said Ukraine agreed to a reciprocal approach.
“If Russia refrains from attacking us, we will take corresponding steps,” Zelenskyy told reporters.
Additional discussions were expected Sunday in Abu Dhabi, though those plans could be affected by rising tensions between the United States and Iran.
No formal ceasefire
Zelenskyy stressed that there is no official ceasefire in place and no formal agreement between Kyiv and Moscow.
“There has been no direct dialogue or signed agreement on a ceasefire,” he said, noting that Ukraine had proposed a limited energy truce during talks in Saudi Arabia last year, but the proposal did not advance.
Territorial disputes remain a central obstacle to peace, with Russia demanding control over occupied and unoccupied Ukrainian territory, Zelenskyy said.
Ukraine is open to compromises that lead to a genuine end to the war, he said, but not at the expense of its territorial integrity. He added that the United States is aware of Kyiv’s position and has discussed a potential compromise involving a free economic zone, which Ukraine insists must remain under its control.