Putin rejects full ceasefire despite Trump‍‍`s efforts

In a recent phone call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, the two leaders agreed to a 30-day ceasefire. 

However, it is important to note that this ceasefire only applies to energy and infrastructure targets, not the fighting along the border. 

Trump’s attempts to negotiate a full ceasefire were unsuccessful.

The White House confirmed the 30-day ceasefire after the conversation, which Trump described as a “very good and effective” dialogue. 

Taking to his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump shared the update, saying, 

"We agreed to an immediate ceasefire on all power centers and infrastructure. We also agreed to quickly discuss a complete ceasefire and work towards ending the devastating war between Russia and Ukraine."

However, despite these positive developments, Putin did not agree to a broader ceasefire that would halt the fighting along the border. 

Trump mentioned that the two leaders also discussed how the war might end and what a peace agreement could look like. 

He emphasized, "This is a matter that we will now discuss with all our might."

The 30-day ceasefire has raised hopes that it could be the first step toward a lasting peace agreement between the two nations. 

Though the comprehensive ceasefire Trump had hoped for was not achieved, Ukraine expressed its support for the limited agreement. 

This means both sides will refrain from attacking each other’s energy infrastructure for the next month.

Experts suggest that Putin, whose forces hold the upper hand in eastern Ukraine, avoided making significant concessions. 

Many analysts believe that this could be a "time-buying strategy" on Putin’s part.

Following the call, the White House announced that immediate discussions would begin on a more comprehensive ceasefire and a permanent peace agreement. 

Trump‍‍`s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, confirmed that talks would start on Sunday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. 

While it’s not clear whether Ukraine will be involved in these discussions, Witkoff said, 

“Not long ago, we had no agreement on a ceasefire for energy and infrastructure or on stopping the fighting in the Black Sea. Now, we’ve reached that point. I think moving to a full ceasefire from here will be a relatively small step.”

Witkoff’s comments have raised questions, and Reuters reached out to the Kremlin for their input. 

However, the Kremlin did not immediately respond. After the call, the Kremlin confirmed that Putin had ordered Russia‍‍`s military to halt attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.

However, the Kremlin also raised concerns about the temporary ceasefire, warning that it could allow Ukraine to re-arm and send more troops into the conflict. 

They made it clear that before agreeing to any ceasefire, military and intelligence support to Ukraine should be halted.

Trump, in an interview with Fox News, confirmed that the issue of U.S. assistance to Ukraine was not discussed during his call with Putin. 

On the Ukrainian side, President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed support for the 30-day ceasefire proposal concerning energy and infrastructure. 

But, he also reported that Russia launched over 40 drones against Ukraine later that evening, targeting hospitals in regions like Samy and Kyiv.

In a post on Telegram, Zelensky stated, "In reality, today Putin rejected the full ceasefire proposal. Rejecting any attempts to prolong Putin’s war is the right thing for the world."

Trump, despite his complicated relationship with Zelensky, spoke positively about his conversation with Putin. 

“Our phone call was great. It lasted almost two hours,” Trump shared on Fox News. 

However, despite this positive conversation, Trump did not achieve the full ceasefire he had hoped for. 

Although Ukraine agreed to the 30-day ceasefire, Putin remained firm in his opposition to a broader ceasefire agreement.

As of now, discussions continue, and the world waits to see what will come next in this ongoing conflict.