Washington: US President Donald Trump said that Russia agreed not to fire on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities for a week during extreme cold, as his envoy described what he called new momentum in talks since Geneva.
Trump asked special envoy Steve Witkoff to brief his Cabinet colleagues on the diplomatic track. Witkoff said, “The Ukrainians actually said that we’ve made more progress in the last — since Geneva than they’ve seen in the last four years of that conflict.”
Witkoff said US officials recently met Russian counterparts. “We had five Russian generals last Sunday in Abu Dhabi with Jared, I, and Dan Driscoll,” he said. “And we think we made a lot of progress.”
He said discussions would continue. “The talks will continue in about a week,” Witkoff said.
Witkoff described draft frameworks already taking shape. “We have a security protocol agreement that’s largely finished, a prosperity agreement that’s largely finished,” he said. He added, “I think the people of Ukraine are now hopeful and expectant that we’re going to deliver a peace deal sometime soon.”
Trump then described a direct appeal to Russian President Vladimir Putin. “Because of the cold, extreme cold… I personally asked President Putin not to fire on Kiev and the cities and towns for a week during this,” Trump said.
“And he agreed to do that,” Trump added.
Trump said advisers had warned him against making the call. “A lot of people said don’t waste the call, you’re not going to get that,” he said. “And he did it.”
Trump said the pause mattered on humanitarian grounds. “Ukraine was — they’re struggling,” he said. “They are struggling badly.”
He said missile strikes during severe cold would worsen conditions. “That’s not what they need is missiles coming into their towns and cities,” Trump said.
Witkoff credited Trump’s negotiating posture. “I think it shows, Mr. President… how you… provide an overarching… presence in these negotiations,” he said. “The Ukrainians never thought it could happen.”
Trump said the cold was “record setting” and comparable to conditions in the United States. He said he raised the issue directly because of the strain on civilians.
The administration has framed its approach as “peace through strength,” while continuing parallel diplomatic tracks involving US, Russian and Ukrainian representatives.
The war in Ukraine has entered its fourth year, marked by heavy casualties, infrastructure damage and repeated efforts at mediation that have yet to produce a comprehensive ceasefire.
(IANS)
