Vladimir Putin accepted request to halt Russia-Ukraine war, claims Donald Trump

Washington: US President Donald Trump has claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed to a one-week ceasefire in the Ukraine war. However, there has been no reaction from Russia yet. Speaking at a cabinet meeting to discuss the US government shutdown, Trump provided updates on the Gaza ceasefire and the Ukraine war. According to Trump, this decision was made due to the extremely cold weather in the region.

What did Trump say?

Trump said, "Because of the cold, the extreme cold... I personally asked President Putin not to fire on Kyiv and the cities and towns." He said that Putin agreed to this pause. Trump added, "That was very good."

Since becoming president for the second time, Donald Trump has been working towards a permanent ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. His efforts have led to trilateral meetings between the US, Russia, and Ukraine in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE. Trump's special envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, participated in these meetings on behalf of the US. The next round of talks is scheduled for February 1, 2026.

What is hindering the Russia-Ukraine ceasefire?

The US and Ukraine have also developed a "20-point plan" for a ceasefire, which is being discussed with Russia. However, Russia has not yet commented on it. It is reported that the biggest obstacle to the ceasefire is the issue of Ukraine's eastern regions (Donbas). According to reports, the Trump administration is pressuring Ukraine to cede the Donbas region to Russia in exchange for security guarantees, which Ukraine has not yet accepted.

What was EU appeal to India?

The European Union has appealed to India to pressure Russia regarding the Ukraine war. The European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, has referred to India-Russia relations and requested that India pressure Putin to stop the war in Ukraine. Her statement comes after the India-EU free trade agreement. However, the joint statement issued after the agreement did not mention Russia by name.