Russia has attacked a Ukrainian energy plant just hours after agreeing to a 30-day pause on attacking crucial infrastructure.
US President Donald Trump said he and Russian President Vladimir Putin had a ‘very good and productive’ call on Tuesday toward ending the Ukraine war.
But only hours later the Kremlin hit energy infrastructure in Slovyansk, a city in the Donetsk region, leaving large swathes of the city of 100,000 people without power.
In response, Russia accused Ukraine of launching air attacks and the Kremlin said it had shot down 57 Ukrainian drones.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said his country and Russia ‘can reach the agreement’ not to strike infrastructure – with the US supporting continuing negotiations – but has since accused Putin of ‘effectively rejecting’ a ceasefire.
In a statement on X last night he said: ‘Unfortunately, there have been hits, specifically on civilian infrastructure.
‘Today, Putin effectively rejected the proposal for a full ceasefire.’
Ukrainian officials also said drone attacks in Sumy, in the country’s north east, damaged two hospitals. Nobody was injured but both hospitals were forced to evacuate staff and patients.
A 60-year-old man was injured and several civilian homes were damaged in a Russian drone attack on the Kyiv region, its governor said.
Trump touted the results of the 90-minute call with Putin on Truth Social on Tuesday afternoon.
‘We agreed to an immediate Ceasefire on all Energy and Infrastructure, with an understanding that we will be working quickly to have a Complete Ceasefire and, ultimately, an END to this very horrible War between Russia and Ukraine,’ wrote Trump.
‘Many elements of a Contract for Peace were discussed, including the fact that thousands of soldiers are being killed, and both President Putin and President Zelenskyy would like to see it end.
‘That process is now in full force and effect, and we will, hopefully, for the sake of Humanity, get the job done!’
Trump added, as he has said many times before, that the war would not have started if he were president.
In response, Zelensky said he supports the 30-day pause to strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure – but wants full transparency about the phone call between the Russian and US presidents before an official agreement is reached.
Putin’s ‘key condition’ to halt the war was a ‘complete cessation’ of aid to Ukraine, according to the Kremlin.
The White House readout of the presidents’ call on Tuesday stated that the two ‘agreed that the movement to peace will begin with an energy and infrastructure ceasefire, as well as technical negotiations on implementation of a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea, full ceasefire and permanent peace’.
Negotiations are set to ‘begin immediately’ in the Middle East.
‘The two leaders agreed that a future with an improved bilateral relationship between the United States and Russia has huge upside,’ stated the readout. ‘This includes enormous economic deals and geopolitical stability when peace has been achieved.’
Trump and Putin agreed that the war ‘needs to end with a lasting peace’. The White House added that the call signaled a ‘movement to peace’ and that it will hopefully lead to a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea.
The call came as Putin continued to resist a US-backed proposal for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine.
Putin told Trump that a prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine involving 175 people will start tomorrow, the Kremlin said.
‘In addition, as a gesture of goodwill, 23 seriously wounded Ukrainian servicemen who are being treated in Russian medical institutions will be transferred,’ it said in a readout.
According to the Kremlin, ‘Donald Trump supported Vladimir Putin’s idea to organize hockey matches in the USA and Russia between Russian and American players playing in the NHL and KHL.’ They plan to stay in touch on ‘all issues raised’.
Military chiefs are set to discuss peacekeeping plans in London.
Zelensky has accepted the proposed unconditional ceasefire, but Russia isn’t budging – going as far as to say Ukraine needs to abandon its NATO ambitions and give up territory.
But when asked about what he would speak to Putin about, Trump said: ‘A lot of work’s been done over the weekend. We want to see if we can bring that war to an end.
‘I think we have a lot of it already discussed very much by both sides, Ukraine and Russia. We are already talking about, dividing up certain assets.
‘We will be talking about land. We will be talking about power plants,’ he added.
Meanwhile, military chiefs from the ‘coalition of the willing’, convened by Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron will meet in London on Thursday to discuss plans for a Western peacekeeping force in Ukraine.
The prime minister earlier told Putin ‘the world is watching’ and said the Russian leader will have to come to the negotiating table ‘sooner or later’.
He also added there had been ‘new commitments’ offered and planning would now move into an ‘operational phase’.
Speaking fromNumber 10 on Saturday, Sir Keir told world leaders they could not ‘sit back and wait’ for a ceasefire in Ukraine, adding: ‘We have to keep pushing ahead, pushing forward and preparing for peace, and a peace that will be secure and that will last.’
He also accused Putin of trying to ‘delay’ a ceasefire, adding: ‘Sooner or later he is going to have to come to the table and engage in serious discussions.’
Zelensky previously said Putin was planning to refuse a 30-day ceasefire deal – but that he is ‘too afraid’ to tell Trump.
‘Putin often does this – he does not say “no” directly, but does so in a way that practically only delays everything and makes normal decisions impossible. We believe that all this is now – another Russian manipulation,’ he wrote on Telegram.
‘As we have always said, the only one who will delay everything, the only one who will be unconstructive is Russia. They need war.
‘Putin stole years of peace and continues this war – day after day. Now we need to put pressure on him.’
Malcolm Chalmers, deputy director-general of the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), told Metro: ‘As soon as the guns stop, Ukraine’s airports will reopen, foreign assistance will flow in at greater speed, and there will be a strong sense of success across Ukraine.
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‘This is not what Russia has fought three years of bloody war to achieve. It will not be easy for Putin to explain to his followers why he has wasted so much blood and treasure.’
If accepted unconditionally, an extended ceasefire would amount to a strategic defeat for Putin, Chalmers warned.
It would solidify Ukraine’s independence, accelerate Western aid, and also reinforce the ties with Europe.
These are all outcomes that would contradict Putin’s imperialistic goals in the start of the full-scale invasion.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
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