Russia-Ukraine war: Trump says Putin agreed to one-week pause in Kyiv strikes amid record cold

US President Donald Trump on Thursday said he had personally asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to pause missile strikes on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities for a week due to what he described as extraordinary, record-setting cold weather in the region.

Speaking at a Cabinet meeting at the White House, Trump said the request was made because of severe winter conditions affecting both Russia and Ukraine.

“Because of the extreme cold, I personally asked President Putin not to fire on Kyiv and other cities in Ukraine for a week. It’s not just cold, it’s extraordinary, record-setting cold,” Trump said.

Trump said many had advised him against making the call, but claimed the Russian leader Putin agreed to the request.

“A lot of people said do not waste a call because you are not going to get that, but he agreed, and we are very happy that they did it,” Trump said.

“On top of everything else, what they don’t need is missiles coming into their towns and cities. Ukraine almost didn’t believe it but they were very happy about it,” he added.

Russia’s daily bombardment of civilian areas behind the roughly 1,000-kilometre front line has continued despite international condemnation and repeated efforts to end the conflict nearly four years after Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Russian drone attacks on Ukraine’s electricity network have left large sections of the population without heating, light and running water during what authorities say is the coldest winter in years.

Ukraine’s State Emergency Service has warned that severe frost is expected in early February, with temperatures in some regions dropping to minus 30 degrees Celsius.

Extreme weather conditions have also hit Russia. Meteorologists from Moscow State University said the capital recorded its heaviest snowfall in more than 200 years this month, bringing daily life to a near standstill. The observatory attributed the snowfall to deep and extensive cyclones with sharp atmospheric fronts over the region.

Earlier this month, Russia’s far eastern Kamchatka region declared an emergency after a massive snowstorm buried cities under thick layers of snow.d.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said intelligence reports suggest Russia is assembling forces for a major aerial assault. Previous large-scale attacks, sometimes involving more than 800 drones along with cruise and ballistic missiles, have targeted Ukraine’s power grid.

The ongoing attacks discredit the peace talks, Zelenskyy said. “Every single Russian strike does,” he said late Wednesday.