U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin have agreed to pursue a 30-day limited ceasefire focused on energy and infrastructure in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war the White House announced Tuesday. Both leaders agreed this conflict needs to end with a lasting peace.
The proposed ceasefire is set to be discussed immediately in the Middle East, but Ukraine’s stance on the plan remains uncertain. During recent negotiations in Saudi Arabia, Ukrainian officials suggested a phased ceasefire covering The Black Sea, Long-range missile strikes, Prisoner exchanges.
According to the Kremlin, Putin welcomed Trump’s proposal and agreed to begin negotiations on the specifics. As part of immediate measures, Russia and Ukraine will swap 175 prisoners of war on Wednesday, with Russia also transferring 23 severely wounded Ukrainian soldiers the Kremlin confirmed.
While agreeing to the ceasefire talks Putin urged Trump to halt U.S. military and intelligence support to Ukraine, according to Russian sources cited by the Associated Press. The White House is pushing Moscow to commit to the temporary ceasefire, which Ukrainian officials reportedly accepted last week in Saudi-led talks, led by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
However Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky remains wary of Putin’s intentions, as Russian airstrikes on Ukraine continue. This latest diplomatic development signals a significant shift in U.S.-Russia relations with Trump prioritizing a swift end to the war even at the risk of straining ties with U.S. allies who insist Putin must face consequences for the invasion.
Before the Trump-Putin call, White House special envoy Steve Witkoff met with Putin in Moscow to explore the proposal, while Rubio worked to persuade Ukrainian officials to accept the terms. The success of this 30-day truce remains uncertain as negotiations unfold.