White House: Russia has agreed to energy, infrastructure ceasefire in Ukraine

The White House says Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed to implement an energy and infrastructure ceasefire in Ukraine.

The resolution followed a two-hour phone call between US President Donald Trump and Putin on Tuesday, according to a statement from White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.

Leavitt said both presidents agreed that the conflict needs to end with a lasting peace.

“The leaders agreed that the movement to peace will begin with an energy and infrastructure ceasefire, as well as technical negotiations on implementation of a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea, full ceasefire, and permanent peace,” the statement reads.

“These negotiations will begin immediately in the Middle East. The leaders spoke broadly about the Middle East as a region of potential cooperation to prevent future conflicts. They further discussed the need to stop the proliferation of strategic weapons and will engage with others to ensure the broadest possible application.”

This is the second time both leaders have spoken by phone since Trump was sworn in, marking an official warm-up from the US to Russia after long years of frosty silence.

It is also part of Trump’s efforts to prove that he can end the Russia-Ukraine war, in fulfilment of his campaign boast.

Other moves have included a botched meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that ended in a shouting bout, with Trump and Vice-President JD Vance, asking him to leave, followed by the US temporarily pausing military assistance and intelligence sharing.

Weeks of intense back-and-forth negotiations between top US officials, Ukrainians, and Russians saw the announcement of a US-led ceasefire proposal.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said his country had accepted the 30-day proposal and urged the US to pressure Russia to agree.

However, analysts say Putin’s body language suggests he wants to tactically evade the negotiations.

Before Tuesday’s call, the Russian leader had expressed skepticism about what the details of the ceasefire would entail, asking what Ukraine would be doing within the 30-day ceasefire.

“So they can remobilise?” Putin asked.

Russia and Ukraine are expected to exchange prisoners of war on Tuesday as part of the deal.