Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to a proposal by US President Donald Trump for Russia and Ukraine to stop attacks on each other's energy infrastructure for 30 days and ordered the Russian military to cease them, the Kremlin has said.
"During the conversation, Donald Trump put forward a proposal for the parties to the conflict to mutually refrain from striking energy infrastructure facilities for 30 days. Vladimir Putin responded positively to this initiative and immediately gave the Russian military the corresponding command," the Kremlin said in a statement on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Trump said his call with Putin was "very good and productive," and that the two leaders discussed many elements of a peace deal for Ukraine.
"We agreed to an immediate Ceasefire on all Energy and Infrastructure, with an understanding that we will be working quickly to have a Complete Ceasefire and, ultimately, an END to this very horrible War between Russia and Ukraine," Trump said on Truth Social.
"Many elements of a Contract for Peace were discussed, including the fact that thousands of soldiers are being killed, and both President Putin and President Zelenskyy would like to see it end," Trump added.
On the other hand, on the proposed wider truce Putin reiterated concerns that he had raised last week, according to the Kremlin's statement.
"The Russian side outlined a number of significant points regarding ensuring effective control over a possible ceasefire along the entire line of combat contact, the need to stop forced mobilisation in Ukraine, and the rearming of the Ukrainian Armed Forces," the statement said.
Putin also said that the key condition for resolving the conflict diplomatically should be "the complete cessation of foreign military assistance and provision of intelligence information to Kiev", the Kremlin added.
TRT Global - Both Kiev and European capitals are sceptical that Putin may be stalling, and wonder whether Trump is willing to use leverage against a leader with whom he seems intent on restoring ties.
Security interests
Kremlin said Putin had questioned Ukraine's willingness to negotiate in good faith, and had accused it of carrying out "barbaric terrorist crimes" during a seven-month incursion into Russia's western Kursk region.
There is no immediate reaction from Ukraine on the development, but it denies such atrocities, and similarly questions Russia's trustworthiness and whether Moscow would respect any deal.
The Kremlin said the conversation between Putin and Trump had been a "detailed and frank exchange of views."
It said Putin had underlined that a resolution of the conflict must be "comprehensive, sustainable and long-term" and take into account Russia's own security interests and the root causes of the war.
Putin, it said, had also "responded constructively" to a Trump initiative on protecting shipping in the Black Sea and the two sides agreed to begin negotiations.
The Kremlin said that Russia and Ukraine would conduct another prisoner exchange on Wednesday, trading 175 people from each side.
Putin has said he wants Ukraine to drop its ambitions to join NATO, Russia to control the entirety of the four Ukrainian regions it has claimed as its own, and the size of the Ukrainian army to be limited.
He has also made clear he wants Western sanctions eased and a presidential election to be held in Ukraine, which Kiev says is premature while martial law is in force.
