In a surprising development, U.S. President Donald Trump revealed that he personally asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to stop the attacks on Ukrainian cities, including the capital Kyiv, for a week due to extreme cold conditions. According to Trump, Putin agreed to this temporary ceasefire, although the official confirmation from Russia remains unclear.
Speaking at a White House cabinet meeting, Trump expressed that the extreme cold temperatures in Ukraine, which could drop as low as minus 30°C, were a significant concern for civilians. “I personally asked President Putin not to fire into Kyiv and the various towns for a week during this cold, and he agreed,” Trump stated, highlighting that the cold weather posed unprecedented challenges for Ukraine.
While the Russian government has yet to confirm the agreement, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed gratitude, calling it an important step toward security during the severe winter. Zelensky shared his appreciation on social media, acknowledging Trump’s efforts to safeguard Ukrainian cities.
Ukraine’s Struggle in the Cold: Power, Water, and Heating Crisis
Ukraine is already grappling with a humanitarian crisis, with power shortages, water disruptions, and heating issues becoming even more severe due to Russian airstrikes targeting critical infrastructure. Ukrainian officials have condemned Russia’s strategy of “weaponizing winter,” which has left civilians exposed to freezing temperatures without enough resources to stay warm.
As the conflict continues to rage on, Russia’s missile strikes on Ukrainian power plants have led to widespread blackouts and further exacerbated the suffering of millions of Ukrainians. Ukrainian authorities have warned of further attack, particularly on energy facilities, in the coming weeks.
Amid this tension, peace talks are scheduled to resume on Sunday, with the U.S.-backed discussions between Ukraine and Russia set to take place in Abu Dhabi. Trump’s ongoing efforts to broker peace could bring some hope for de-escalation, as the world watches to see if this potential truce and the peace talks can make meaningful progress toward ending the nearly four-year-long war.
As Ukraine battles the dual challenges of Russian aggression and the brutal winter, the world waits to see if the proposed ceasefire will hold. The coming days will be critical in determining whether diplomatic efforts can lead to a meaningful de-escalation or if the conflict will continue its destructive path.
