The Kremlin has confirmed that Russia agreed to an “energy truce,” during which it will refrain from striking Ukraine at the request of Donald Trump. The pause will last until February 1, when a deep freeze is forecast to peak in Ukraine.
The truce is purportedly aimed at creating “favorable conditions for negotiations,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said, according to RIA Novosti.
“Russia agreed to refrain from strikes on Ukraine until February 1 in connection with Trump’s request,” Peskov said.
Ukraine’s State Emergency Service earlier issued a red danger level for February 1–3 because of the coming cold. Rescuers said the coldest conditions are expected in Kyiv, Chernihiv, Zhytomyr, Rivne, Sumy, Poltava and Kharkiv regions, where temperatures could range from -20 C to -27 C. In Kyiv, temperatures are forecast at -20 C to -25 C.
Meteorologist Natalka Didenko said the cold will peak February 1–4, with nighttime lows of -20 C to -28 C and locally lower. Environmentalist Oleksandr Sokolenko also warned that severe frosts will return in the coming days and temperatures could drop to -27 C in some regions, including the capital. Ukraine’s Hydrometeorological Center forecasts lows reaching -30 C in the Rivne, Zhytomyr, Kyiv, Chernihiv, Sumy, Poltava and Kharkiv regions.
On January 29, U.S. President Donald Trump said he personally appealed to Vladimir Putin to refrain from attacking Ukrainian cities for a week. Putin, he said, agreed to the proposal.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy later said there were no official agreements between Russia and Ukraine to halt strikes on energy facilities, but Kyiv is prepared to abide by such an arrangement.
The New York Times reported the energy truce was reached after Kyiv requested a pause in strikes during three-way talks in Abu Dhabi over the weekend.
Zelenskyy had earlier warned, citing Ukrainian intelligence, that Russia was preparing a new barrage. (Deputy Prime Minister Oleksii Kuleba also said Russian forces could target Ukraine’s power system in the coming days as the weather worsens.
Monitoring channels have warned of a large-scale assault late in the week, potentially unfolding in two phases on different days. The first phase would target the capital, which the attackers believe could be decisive for Kyiv’s power and heat supply. The second phase would focus on major energy and gas infrastructure in western Ukraine.
