Special Poll
President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed Tuesday to pursue steps aimed at achieving a ceasefire in Ukraine, following a two-hour phone discussion. While the call was productive, the Kremlin emphasized that Putin still holds significant reservations about Trump’s call for an unconditional halt to hostilities.
The key outcome of their conversation, according to the White House, was an agreement described as an “energy and infrastructure ceasefire.” Under this proposal, Russia committed to pausing its attacks on Ukrainian energy targets for 30 days, a significant concession given the ongoing aerial bombardment of critical Ukrainian infrastructure. In return, Ukraine is expected to cease recent drone strikes targeting Russian fuel storage sites. These reciprocal steps mirror an earlier Ukrainian suggestion to first pause aerial attacks as a foundation for broader peace negotiations.
Though this partial ceasefire falls short of Trump’s stated objective of ending all hostilities immediately, including combat along active front lines, it represents meaningful progress toward peace. Following the conversation, Trump shared on Truth Social that he considered the exchange “very good and productive.” Trump noted that numerous aspects of what he called a “Contract for Peace” were discussed and expressed optimism that these talks would eventually lead to a comprehensive ceasefire and an end to the ongoing conflict.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky indicated that he seeks to discuss directly with Trump the specifics of the conversation with Putin, particularly to better understand the details of the proposed energy ceasefire. Zelensky expressed cautious optimism about the potential pause in attacks on infrastructure but emphasized that Ukraine and its allies would not agree to Putin’s proposed conditions, such as halting the supply of Western weapons to Kyiv during a ceasefire. He also suggested that a meaningful goodwill gesture from Russia, such as releasing Ukrainian prisoners of war, would demonstrate sincerity and help advance broader peace negotiations.
After the phone call concluded, the Kremlin confirmed that Russia and Ukraine agreed on a prisoner exchange, with each side releasing 175 captured soldiers, a development viewed positively by both countries.
The White House also highlighted broader diplomatic discussions during the call, noting Trump and Putin agreed on the importance of halting nuclear proliferation and building stronger bilateral relations between the U.S. and Russia. The two leaders expressed optimism that achieving peace in Ukraine would open doors to substantial economic cooperation and improved geopolitical stability in the future.