The Impressive TimesRussian President Vladimir Putin has announced a 30-day suspension of strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure but maintained that a full ceasefire is contingent upon the West halting all military and intelligence support to Kyiv. The announcement follows a 90-minute phone call between Putin and former U.S. President Donald Trump, during which the Russian leader agreed to a temporary pause in attacks but rejected broader peace proposals backed by Washington.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of “effectively rejecting” the latest ceasefire proposal, citing continued strikes on civilian infrastructure. “Today, Putin effectively rejected the proposal for a full ceasefire,” Zelensky wrote on X (formerly Twitter), confirming that fresh Russian missile strikes had targeted Ukrainian cities. He highlighted an attack on a hospital in Sumy, where casualties were reported, as evidence of Moscow’s disregard for peace efforts.
According to Ukrainian officials, air raid sirens blared across multiple regions shortly after the Putin-Trump call ended. Explosions were reported in Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Dnipro, with emergency services responding to multiple impact sites. The Ukrainian military stated that Russia had launched a wave of drone and missile strikes despite Putin’s pledge to halt attacks on energy infrastructure.
The Kremlin defended its decision, asserting that the pause in strikes on Ukraine’s power grid was a “goodwill gesture” aimed at demonstrating Russia’s openness to negotiations. However, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov reiterated that the “key condition” for lasting peace remains the cessation of Western military and intelligence support for Ukraine.
“Without a complete halt to U.S. and NATO weapons deliveries, Russia cannot consider a full ceasefire,” Peskov told reporters. He further accused Western nations of prolonging the war by supplying advanced weaponry and training to Ukrainian forces.
The U.S. State Department dismissed Russia’s demands as “unrealistic,” with a spokesperson emphasizing that the United States will continue to support Ukraine’s right to self-defense. European leaders echoed this sentiment, with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak calling Putin’s terms “a non-starter” and pledging additional military aid to Kyiv.
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