US President Donald Trump has said Russia agreed to temporarily refrain from striking Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, citing humanitarian concerns during a period of extreme cold.
The claim comes amid what the US administration describes as renewed momentum in diplomatic efforts to end the conflict, now in its fourth year.
Trump made the remarks in Washington while asking his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, to brief Cabinet members on recent developments in negotiations involving Russia and Ukraine.
According to Witkoff, recent talks have marked the most significant progress seen in years. He told Cabinet colleagues that Ukrainian representatives had acknowledged notable advances since discussions held in Geneva.
Witkoff revealed that US officials recently met senior Russian military figures in Abu Dhabi, describing the engagement as constructive.
He said discussions would resume within a week, suggesting that diplomatic channels remain active despite ongoing hostilities.
Draft Agreements Taking Shape
The envoy said preliminary frameworks were already emerging from the talks. These include a near-complete security protocol agreement and a largely finalised prosperity-related framework, aimed at supporting Ukraine’s future stability and recovery.
Witkoff expressed optimism that Ukrainians were increasingly hopeful that a peace deal could be delivered in the near term, reflecting growing expectations from the diplomatic process.
Trump said he personally urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to pause missile strikes for a week because of what he described as record-setting cold weather affecting Ukraine.
He added that Putin agreed to the request, despite advice from some advisers who doubted the call would succeed.
The US President stressed that missile attacks during severe winter conditions would worsen the suffering of civilians, noting the strain already faced by Ukrainian towns and cities.
The administration has characterised its strategy as “peace through strength”, pursuing parallel diplomatic efforts with Moscow and Kyiv while maintaining pressure through other means.
The war in Ukraine has resulted in heavy casualties, widespread infrastructure damage and repeated mediation attempts, none of which have yet produced a comprehensive or lasting ceasefire.
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