Putin agrees to limit Ukraine attacks but won't commit to truce

Greg Sullivan and Iain Marlow, Bloomberg News on Mar 18, 2025

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WASHINGTON — President Vladimir Putin committed in a phone call with Donald Trump to limit Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy assets but declined to agree to a broader 30-day ceasefire as the United States had sought.

Putin and Trump agreed to “an energy and infrastructure ceasefire” and to begin negotiations on a “maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea, full ceasefire and permanent peace,” the White House said in a statement after the two spoke by phone for more than 90 minutes. The talks will begin “immediately” in the Middle East, the White House said, without saying who would lead the negotiations.

The Kremlin’s account of the call said Putin imposed several conditions for a lasting ceasefire, including suspension of arms and intelligence support for Ukraine. Ukraine must also stop mobilizing new recruits, it said.

“The key condition for preventing the escalation of the conflict and working toward its resolution through political and diplomatic means should be the complete cessation of foreign military assistance and the provision of intelligence information to Kyiv,” the Kremlin said.

The Russian demands will force a tough choice on Trump, who had called for an immediate halt to the fighting for 30 days before working out details of a longer-term agreement.

Recent comments by Trump have prompted fears that the U.S. may be willing to sacrifice Kyiv’s interests as part of a push for a deal. Before the call, Trump wrote in a Truth Social post that “many elements of a Final Agreement have been agreed to, but much remains.”

Ukraine and its European allies are anxious that Russia won’t honor any deal with Trump to end the war, leaving Kyiv vulnerable to attack in the future. After Trump came to office having pledged rapidly to end the conflict, they also worry that Putin may leverage U.S. interest in securing a deal to make additional demands that would undermine Ukraine or threaten Europe’s future security.

United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke to Trump ahead of the U.S. leader’s conversation with Putin. Starmer told Trump that Ukraine must be put in the “strongest possible position” in order to secure a “just and lasting peace,” his official spokesman said.

“The two leaders agreed that a future with an improved bilateral relationship between the United States and Russia has huge upside,” the White House said in its readout. “This includes enormous economic deals and geopolitical stability when peace has been achieved.”