Trump: Putin Halted Strike on Kyiv Energy for a Week on My Request

U.S. President Donald Trump says he personally asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to halt strikes on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities for one week during an extreme cold spell, and that Putin agreed. The assertion, made during a White House Cabinet meeting on Thursday, has not been confirmed by the Kremlin and comes as Russia continues sustained attacks on Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure nearly four years into the war.

Trump framed the request as a humanitarian measure tied to weather conditions. “I personally asked President Putin not to fire on Kyiv and the cities and towns for a week during this extraordinary cold,” he said, adding that Putin had “agreed to that.”

Trump did not specify when the call took place or when such a pause would begin, and the White House offered no clarification on scope or enforcement.

Energy Warfare Under Arctic Conditions

Ukraine is entering one of its harshest cold spells of the winter, with temperatures forecast to drop to minus 30 degrees Celsius, or minus 22 Fahrenheit, in some regions, according to the State Emergency Service. Russia has repeatedly targeted substations and power plants since its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, a strategy Ukrainian officials describe as “weaponizing winter.”

On Jan. 24, Russia launched a mass missile and drone strike primarily against Kyiv’s energy infrastructure, hitting substations and power plants and causing power outages across the Kyiv region. Drone attacks on Kharkiv struck residential buildings and industrial and energy sites overnight.

Casualties included about one person killed and four to five injured in Kyiv, and between 11 and 14 injured in Kharkiv, including a child. The attack followed peace talks held in the United Arab Emirates.

“Don’t Drop That Ball”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Trump for his efforts and said he welcomed the “possibility” of a pause, stressing that “power supply is a foundation of life.”

Zelensky also warned that Ukrainian intelligence indicated Russia was preparing another large-scale aerial assault, noting that previous barrages have involved more than 800 drones alongside cruise and ballistic missiles.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte underscored the urgency of sustained focus last week. “Today, Kyiv, Kharkiv, Lviv, and so many smaller cities in Ukraine are being hit by Russian missiles and drones,” he said on Jan. 22. “There is -20 degrees in Kyiv as we speak. What we need is to keep our eyes on the ball of Ukraine. Let’s not drop that ball.”

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment when asked earlier whether a mutual halt on strikes against energy facilities was under discussion, reinforcing uncertainty around Trump’s claim.

War Context and Civilian Toll

Russia’s bombardment continues along a roughly 1,000-kilometer, or 600-mile, front line. According to the U.N. Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, 2025 has been the deadliest year for civilians since 2022, with 2,514 civilians killed and 12,142 injured, a 31 percent increase from 2024.

The pause claim also coincides with renewed diplomatic activity. Talks are expected to resume on Sunday, though European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Russia was not taking negotiations seriously, arguing that intensified attacks show Moscow “can’t make moves on the battlefield.”

However, Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff has said “a lot of progress” had been made in recent talks.