Trump, Putin Reach Limited Energy Infrastructure Ceasefire Agreement Amidst Ukraine War Negotiations

Washington – A recent call between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin concluded with a limited agreement focused on halting attacks on energy infrastructure in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. This agreement, while a step forward, falls short of the U.S.’s initial proposal for a broader, temporary truce.

According to U.S. officials, Russia has agreed to a ceasefire specifically targeting energy and critical infrastructure within Ukraine. The proposed plan outlines a phased approach: first, Moscow and Kyiv would commit to ceasing attacks on each other’s power plants and electrical grids. Following this, negotiators would then address the possibility of halting hostilities in the Black Sea region, with the ultimate goal of achieving a complete ceasefire in the three-year-old war in Ukraine, as detailed in a White House statement.

The White House also announced that discussions are scheduled to commence immediately in the Middle East, indicating a multi-faceted approach to resolving the conflict.

The Trump administration has been actively engaged in shuttle diplomacy, holding separate meetings with representatives from both Moscow and Kyiv. These efforts aim to secure a comprehensive ceasefire agreement and establish a framework for a lasting peace deal that could bring a permanent end to the war. Trump, who during his presidential campaign pledged a swift resolution to the conflict while emphasizing his deal-making capabilities, has so far struggled to achieve a breakthrough.

Special envoy Steve Witkoff recently concluded a visit to Moscow, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio held discussions with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Saturday. These interactions followed in-person talks with high-ranking Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia, effectively setting the stage for the phone call between Putin and Trump on Tuesday.

The call itself lasted for at least an hour and a half, according to the White House. However, officials have remained tight-lipped about the precise duration of the conversation.

The official readout from the White House provided limited information regarding the call’s specifics. President Trump stated on Monday that his intention was to lay the groundwork for a peace agreement and to urge Putin to spare the lives of Ukrainian soldiers who are currently under siege by Russian forces.

Last week, the U.S. reinstated intelligence sharing with Ukraine and lifted a temporary pause on military assistance, actions taken as officials awaited Russia’s response to the proposed temporary truce.

Ukraine has agreed to a full 30-day ceasefire, contingent upon Russia accepting the terms of the agreement. The proposal calls for a temporary freeze on the conflict and a cessation of the intense aerial battles between the two nations. During this period, disputed territory would be monitored using satellites, intelligence gathering, and drones.

Furthermore, Zelenskyy’s government has advocated for Russia to agree to a prisoner exchange, the release of detained civilians, and the return of Ukrainian children who have been allegedly kidnapped.

President Zelenskyy has consistently expressed skepticism regarding Putin’s commitment to abiding by a ceasefire. He stated on Monday that Russia has already had a week to agree to the terms of the truce outlined by the U.S., and that increased pressure would be required to compel Putin to accept the agreement.

"It’s clear to everyone in the world—even to those who refused to acknowledge the truth for the past three years—that it is Putin who continues to drag out this war," Zelenskyy said. "He’s saying whatever he wants, but not what the whole world wants to hear."

U.S. officials have acknowledged since the beginning of the talks that Ukraine will likely have to make concessions. These concessions could range from territorial adjustments to limitations on NATO membership, and also include the contested control of Europe’s largest nuclear power plant.

Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and initiated a large-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Currently, Russia controls approximately 20% of Ukrainian territory, primarily located in the eastern region of the country.

Trump indicated over the weekend that the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine has been a prominent topic of initial discussions. The plant is currently under Russian occupation. "We’ll be talking about land. We’ll be talking about power plants because that’s a big question, but I think we have a lot of it already discussed very much by both sides," Trump told reporters on Sunday evening.

U.S. officials have signaled that Ukraine is highly unlikely to achieve NATO membership in the foreseeable future, and that it will likely have to relinquish at least some of the territory that Russia has forcibly seized.

"The Russians can’t conquer all of Ukraine, and obviously it’ll be very difficult for Ukraine in any reasonable time period to sort of force the Russians back all the way to where they were in 2014," Rubio said last week. "So the only solution to this war is diplomacy and getting them to a table where that’s possible."

Russia has maintained that NATO membership for Ukraine, which it has cited as a justification for its war, is a non-negotiable point in the negotiations. It has also rejected a proposal led by the UK to deploy European peacekeepers in Ukraine, which France has also supported.

Ukraine has stated that it will not sign a peace agreement without receiving firm security guarantees, citing Russia’s history of violating ceasefires.

Kyiv relinquished its nuclear arsenal after the collapse of the Soviet Union in exchange for security assurances from the U.S., UK, and Russia. The invasion of Crimea in 2014 violated the memorandum, which explicitly prohibited unprovoked military action against Ukraine and guaranteed its territorial integrity.

Trump has refrained from making future security guarantees, apart from an unsigned critical minerals agreement that would potentially benefit the U.S. financially if private companies invest in the development of Ukraine’s natural resources. He has expressed support for a European fighting force without specifying any potential U.S. involvement.

"There is also a broader strategy at play in President Trump’s approach to this war that is informed by the realization that the United States needs to reset relations with Russia," said Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine Keith Kellogg at a Council on Foreign Relations event in Washington this month.