During a cabinet meeting in Washington, D.C., President Trump said that he had personally requested President Putin not to carry out attacks on Ukrainian cities during the period of severe cold, and that Putin had agreed. According to Trump, “I asked President Putin to refrain from attacking Kyiv and other towns for one week, and he agreed.”
Russia has not yet officially confirmed this alleged agreement. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed Trump’s statement and expressed hope that Russia would honor its commitment. In a message posted on social media, Zelensky said that Trump’s announcement represents an important development regarding the possibility of providing security to Kyiv and other cities during the extremely cold weather.
He also noted that talks between Ukrainian and Russian teams have already taken place in the United Arab Emirates on this matter. According to the meteorological department, temperatures in Kyiv are expected to drop to as low as minus 24 degrees Celsius in the coming days, which could further worsen the situation.