Trump and Putin’s Agreement Amid Cold Weather
On Thursday, President Donald Trump announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed not to conduct any military actions for a week, largely due to the severe cold impacting Ukraine’s Kiev region. “I personally asked President Putin not to fire on Kiev or any other city for a week during this time. It’s not just a cold snap,” Trump explained. He described it as record-breaking cold that the region has never experienced before.
This statement came during Trump’s first Cabinet meeting of 2026, where he included special envoy Steve Witkoff to discuss ongoing negotiations with Russia toward ending the conflict in Ukraine. Despite some advice to avoid “wasting” his call with Putin, Trump expressed satisfaction with the conversation.
Trump stated, “I personally asked President Putin not to fire on Kyiv and other cities for a week, and President Putin agreed. I think I was quite kind in making that request. A lot of people think I shouldn’t have made the call, but they don’t really get it.” He added that he felt positive about the agreement.
In recent weeks, Russian attacks have severely impacted Kiev’s energy infrastructure. Reports indicate that more than 1,300 apartment buildings in the capital are currently without heating due to these strikes, leaving many residents without essential utilities.
Witkoff informed the Cabinet meeting that talks have been progressing well, suggesting that Ukrainians are beginning to feel hopeful about reaching a peace agreement soon. Earlier in January, he and Jared Kushner took part in trilateral discussions with Russia and Ukraine, which seem to be leading toward a potential resolution.
Witkoff mentioned, “Last Sunday, Jared and I, alongside Dan Driscoll, met with five Russian generals in Abu Dhabi, and I think we’ve made significant progress. Negotiations are expected to continue for another week, and we’re getting close to finalizing a Security Protocol agreement and a Prosperity Agreement.”
Monthly weather data indicate that Kiev is experiencing unusually low temperatures, similar to the bitter cold affecting parts of the United States. Recent winter storms have emphasized these conditions, as maximum January temperatures in Kiev can dip below freezing.
As tensions have escalated in Ukraine since the Biden administration took office, February 24 marks the four-year anniversary of the war. Trump, in his campaign efforts, has emphasized his belief that had he been re-elected in 2020, this conflict would never have occurred. He acknowledged that resolving the war has proven to be more complex than anticipated, yet he claimed to have successfully ended other conflicts since returning to the presidency over a year ago.
