The war between Russia and Ukraine has been going on for more than four years. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has made a big claim. He said this after there was a ceasefire between the two countries for a week. Trump has said that at his request, Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed to halt attacks in Ukraine for a week due to the severe cold. Trump made this big claim while addressing the cabinet meeting.
President Trump said he personally contacted the Russian President and urged him to stop attacks on Ukraine’s capital Kiev and surrounding areas as the entire region is experiencing severe cold. Trump has claimed that Putin agreed to this ceasefire at his request. Describing this development as unexpected, Trump said that many people had advised him not to make this call. Trump added, “A lot of people said, ‘Don’t waste the call, you won’t get it.’ And they did.”
Ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine for a week-Trump
These comments of Trump have come at a time when violence on the ground between the two countries has been going on for a long time. Ukrainian officials claimed on Thursday that three people were killed in an overnight Russian drone strike in the southern Zaporizhia region, while President Zelensky claimed Russia was preparing for another major attack. The developments come ahead of US-brokered peace talks over the weekend.
Russia has not yet responded to the ceasefire
Trump’s claim has come at a time when Russia is continuously attacking Ukraine’s critical infrastructure, including power plants, due to which a large number of people across the country have been deprived of electricity amid the severe cold. However, there has been no official confirmation of this temporary stop or ceasefire from Russia yet. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed US efforts and said stopping attacks on energy facilities had been discussed between the two sides, but not fully confirmed.
America’s mediation efforts continue
Meanwhile, the efforts for a ceasefire brokered by America seem to be having some effect. Russia has invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Moscow for talks aimed at ending the nearly four-year-long conflict. US-brokered talks in Abu Dhabi last weekend have given some momentum to peace efforts, but differences between the two sides remain.