Ukraine-Russia war latest: Putin bombs energy plant hours after promising Trump attacks would stop
Ukrainian city of 100,000 left without electricity after attack on power grid
Vladimir Putin’s forces launched a major air raid on energy infrastructure in Ukraine’s Slovyansk city late last night, just hours after the Russian leader told Donald Trump he would pause such attacks.
Military officials told the Kyiv Post that Russia's airstrikes left the entire city of 100,000 people without electricity.
Mr Putin had told Mr Trump in a phone call earlier on Tuesday that he would temporarily stop attacking Ukrainian energy facilities and claimed to have issued orders along these lines.
During the call the Russian leader refused to back a full 30-day ceasefire that the US hoped would be the first step towards a permanent peace deal.
Kyiv confirmed it was ready to support the watered-down agreement from Moscow and not hit Russia's energy grid for about a month.
After the call, US envoy Steve Witkoff told Fox News that a new round of talks with Russia will take place this Sunday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. "The devil is in the details," he said, adding: "We've got to figure out those details."
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Russia is preparing new Zaporizhzhia, Sumy and Kharkiv offensives, says Zelensky
Volodymyr Zelensky has said that Russia is preparing new offensives on Zaporizhzhia, Sumy and Kharkiv fronts in the coming months in order to exert maximum pressure on Ukraine.
The Ukrainian President has said his country is seeing the new buildup of Russian forces near its Sumy region.
Ukraine would support proposal to stop strikes on energy infrastructure, Zelensky says
President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday that Ukraine would support a US proposal to stop strikes on Russian energy infrastructure, and said he hoped to speak to US President Donald Trump about his talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The White House said earlier that Putin and Trump agreed during a phone call to a limited 30-day ceasefire on energy infrastructure targets in Ukraine and that talks aimed at moving toward a broader peace plan would begin "immediately."
"I think it will be right that we will have a conversation with President Trump and we will know in detail what the Russians offered the Americans or what the Americans offered the Russians," Zelensky told reporters during an online briefing.
Trump confirms Putin agreed to immediate 30-day ceasefire on Ukraine energy targets
US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin have agreed to an immediate 30-day ceasefire on all energy infrastructure in Ukraine, Mr Trump has confirmed.
Trump says elements of Ukraine peace deal discussed in 'productive call' with Putin
US President Donald Trump said his call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday was "very good and productive," and that the two leaders discussed many elements of a peace deal for Ukraine.
"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," Trump said on Truth Social.
"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," Trump added.
Trump agrees with Putin's idea of Russia-US ice hockey games, Kremlin says
Donald Trump has backed Vladimir Putin’s idea of organising ice hockey games in the US between Russian and US players, the Kremlin has said.
Russia and Ukraine are set for prisoner exchange tomorrow, Putin tells Trump
Vladimir Putin also told Donald Trump that Russia and Ukraine are set to exchange 175 prisoners of war each on Wednesday, the Kremlin has said.
It added that Russia will also hand over to Ukraine 23 badly wounded soldiers.
Ukraine yet to comment on Putin-Trump agreement
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has not yet commented on the agreement between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump during their phone call.
It was not immediately clear whether Ukraine is on board with the phased ceasefire plan.
Ukrainian officials last week agreed to the White House’s 30-day ceasefire proposal aimed at ending Russia’s invasion during talks in Saudi Arabia led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, however, remains skeptical that Putin is ready for peace as Russian forces continue to pound Ukraine.
Scholz welcomes halt on Ukraine energy facility strikes as 'first step'
Germany's outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz called a ceasefire on attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure agreed by US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin an important first step but said a total ceasefire must be next.
"The next step must be a complete ceasefire for Ukraine and as quickly as possible. Of course it is clear that we both agree on this too," said Scholz at a news conference in Berlin with French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday.
Scholz reiterated that there must not be no decision without Ukraine and above Ukraine's head.
Macron says Ukraine must take part in talks for peace to be achieved
French president Emmanuel Macron has said peace cannot be achieved without Ukraine taking part in ceasefire talks.
He issued the call while affirming that France has been among those promoting peace since day one.
Watch: Vladimir Putin makes joke about Donald Trump phone call
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