Trump Claims Russia Agrees to Pause Attacks on Ukraine for One Week Amid Peace Talks

Washington: US President Donald Trump has stated that Russia has agreed to halt attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities for one week during the severe winter cold. According to Trump, this decision was made for humanitarian reasons, as military actions during harsh cold conditions would increase difficulties for civilians.

Trump directed his special envoy Steve Witkoff to update the cabinet on the progress of peace negotiations. Witkoff reported that Ukrainian representatives have said the progress made in talks held in Geneva is unprecedented in the last four years.

Witkoff also revealed that recent meetings took place between US and Russian officials. He mentioned that last Sunday in Abu Dhabi, five Russian generals were present during discussions that made significant progress.

The envoy added that negotiations will continue, with further talks planned in about a week.

According to Witkoff, the draft peace agreement has advanced considerably. He stated, “We have a security protocol agreement that is largely complete, and a prosperity agreement that is also well progressed. I believe the people of Ukraine are now hopeful that a peace deal will be reached soon.”

Following this, Trump shared that he made a direct appeal to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump said, “Due to the extreme cold, I personally asked President Putin to pause shelling Kyiv and other towns for one week, and he agreed.”

Trump noted that many advisors advised against making the call, doubting its effectiveness. However, he proceeded, and the outcome was positive. Trump emphasized that Ukraine is going through very difficult conditions, and missile attacks during winter would worsen the situation for civilians.

Steve Witkoff credited Trump’s negotiation strategy for the progress, saying that Trump’s presence and pressure made this possible, while Ukraine previously believed such progress was unlikely.

Trump highlighted that the cold has reached record levels, similar to conditions in the US, which motivated his direct intervention considering the hardships faced by civilians.

The US administration describes its policy as “peace through strength” and continues dialogue at multiple levels involving the US, Russia, and Ukraine.

The Ukraine conflict has entered its fourth year, resulting in significant loss of life, extensive damage to infrastructure, and multiple attempts at peace that have yet to achieve a complete ceasefire.

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