Trump Urges Putin to End Ukraine War Amid Renewed Russian Attacks on Kyiv
In an unexpected statement, U.S. President Donald Trump urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the nearly four-year conflict in Ukraine, following Russia's resumption of attacks on the capital, Kyiv, after a week-long pause due to extreme cold weather.
Trump stated from the Oval Office: "I want him to end the war," and expressed disappointment over Putin's failure to extend the pause, saying, "I expected it." He noted that Putin "kept his word" regarding the cessation of attacks from Sunday to Sunday, emphasizing that "it is significant, a full week, and we will accept anything, because the weather there is very cold."
* Russia Exploits the Ceasefire
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Moscow on Tuesday of attempting to exploit the ceasefire to halt attacks on energy infrastructure, supported by the U.S., in order to stockpile ammunition for future assaults using hundreds of drones and a record number of ballistic missiles.
Zelensky highlighted in a post on platform X that the recent strikes on Kyiv and other cities disrupted heating amid extremely low temperatures, asserting that Russia did not use the ceasefire to promote diplomacy, but rather to enhance its offensive capabilities.
* Peace Efforts Face Challenges
These developments come ahead of a second round of trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi, mediated by the United States, scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday. The first round, held in late January, did not yield progress on critical territorial issues, as Moscow insists that Kyiv cede more land in eastern Ukraine, a demand Ukraine firmly rejects.
Kyiv is under U.S. pressure to accept a peace agreement, while Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure appear to be an attempt to leverage the extreme cold to force the capital to capitulate during one of the coldest winters in years.
