Trump-Putin plan Saudi meet: What's next for Russia-Ukraine ceasefire?

Ukraine and Russia immediately exchanged attacks following a 30-day ceasefire talk between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump

Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump have agreed to a 30-day halt on attacks targeting energy infrastructure in Ukraine and Russia. The agreement, reached after a lengthy phone call on Tuesday, was confirmed in separate statements by the White House and the Kremlin. However, the ceasefire is limited, as Putin refused to halt broader military attacks in the Black Sea and along the front lines.

 

Even the commitment to the limited ceasefire was called into question almost immediately as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday accused Russia of attacking Ukrainian cities, damaging energy facilities and injuring civilians.

 

 

The pause on military strikes on energy infrastructure is the first formal agreement on limiting attacks since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. Here is a closer look at what was discussed between Putin and Trump, what did Ukraine agree to, and what’s next for ceasefire talks between the two nations.

 

What did Trump and Putin discuss?

While Trump and Putin emphasised the need to end the war and work toward lasting peace, there were stark differences in how the two governments described the agreement reached over the two-hour conversation.

 

The White House statement framed the pause as a first step toward broader negotiations, including maritime peace in the Black Sea and discussions on a full ceasefire. The Kremlin’s version, however, included a series of conditions and demands, particularly regarding military aid to Ukraine.  ALSO READ | Donald Trump suggests Zelenskyy allow US control of Ukrainian power plants

 

Kremlin’s statement claimed:

 

The Russian military had been ordered to halt attacks on energy infrastructure immediately.

 

Russia was committed to a peaceful resolution and would form expert groups with the US to negotiate terms.

 

A broader ceasefire would require an end to Western military aid and intelligence-sharing with Ukraine. Putin also guaranteed fair treatment for Ukrainian soldiers in Kursk if they surrendered. A prisoner exchange of 175 Russians and 175 Ukrainians.

 

The White House statement did not mention these demands, particularly the condition that military aid to Ukraine must end. Instead, it focused on plans for continued negotiations, as well as US-Russia cooperation in West Asia. “No, we didn’t talk about aid at all,” Trump later told Fox News.

 

How did Zelenskyy respond to Trump-Putin talks?

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy cautiously welcomed the initiative but demanded details before committing to any broader agreements.

 

“We need to understand what exactly we support,” he said in a video message shared on X. He also reiterated that Ukraine would not agree to concessions regarding Western military aid, stating that assistance should be increased, not decreased.  ALSO READ | Zelenskyy, Putin agree to limited ceasefire, implementation still ongoing 

Russia-Ukraine exchange attacks after ceasefire talks

On Tuesday night, even after Putin’s ceasefire pledge, Russian drones struck Ukrainian civilian infrastructure, including a hospital in Sumy and targets in Donetsk. Zelenskyy denounced these attacks, calling for stronger sanctions against Russia and more military aid for Ukraine.

 

Ukraine’s Air Force on Wednesday said that Russia launched an overnight attack on Ukraine using 145 drones, four anti-aircraft missiles, and two ballistic missiles. Zelenskyy said that Putin’s pledge was “very much at odds with reality”.

 

“It would be right for the world to reject any attempts by Putin to prolong the war,” he wrote on X, adding that only a complete halt to Russian strikes on civilian targets could bring peace closer.

 

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Russia’s Ministry of Defense reported a Ukrainian attack targeting an oil depot in the Krasnodar region, claiming they had shot down 57 Ukrainian drones.  ALSO READ | Zelenskyy to talk to Trump after Russia bombs Ukraine despite ceasefire

 

Zelenskyy-Trump phone call after attacks

Despite the attacks, Zelenskyy discussed the ceasefire with Trump later on Wednesday. In a post on Truth Social, Trump described the call as “very good”, stating, “Much of the discussion was based on the call made yesterday with President Putin in order to align both Russia and Ukraine in terms of their requests and needs.”

 

Russia-Ukraine ceasefire: What’s next?

The US and Russia are set to meet in Saudi Arabia on Sunday to finalise the limited ceasefire and discuss the possibility of a broader truce, including a potential maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea. The talks in Jeddah will be closely watched to see if there is a possibility of a broader truce. 

It remains unclear whether Ukraine will be included in these discussions.

 

Meanwhile, US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz wrote in a post on X, “I spoke today with my Russian counterpart Yuri Ushakov about President Trump’s efforts to end the war in Ukraine. We agreed our technical teams would meet in Riyadh in the coming days to focus on implementing and expanding the partial ceasefire President Trump secured from Russia.”

 

Ukraine has indicated it is willing to honour the agreement but will wait for further information from Washington before making any formal commitments. Zelenskyy has maintained that it will not accept the loss of its sovereignty or recognise occupied territories as part of Russia. “The key thing is not to lose our independence and to ensure that Russia never, ever has any influence over Ukraine’s freedom,” he said.