Putin agrees to Trump proposal to suspend attacks on Kyiv, Kremlin says

MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin has approved a proposal from U.S. President Donald Trump to temporarily halt attacks on Kyiv, the Kremlin announced Thursday.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the pause is intended to facilitate peace negotiations and will remain in effect until Feb. 1.

While Trump previously suggested a week-long ceasefire due to extreme cold, Peskov did not mention weather conditions when confirming the decision. It remains unclear whether the suspension applies only to the capital or the entire territory of Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he is prepared to reciprocate the gesture if Russia ceases strikes on energy infrastructure. The announcement comes as hundreds of apartments in Kyiv face power outages while temperatures are forecast to plunge to -26 degrees Celsius.

Zelensky said the proposal originated from U.S. officials during a round of negotiations in Abu Dhabi last week. The next round of talks is scheduled for Feb. 1, though the time and location are subject to change.

The fragile ceasefire currently in place stands as a hallmark of President Donald Trump’s signature brand of personal diplomacy. By bypassing established diplomatic channels to engage directly with Vladimir Putin, Trump has secured an immediate, if volatile, result that reflects his preference for bilateral deal-making over institutionalized strategy. While proponents view this as a pragmatic breakthrough, the move underscores a shift toward a personalized U.S. foreign policy that risks marginalizing the strategic frameworks traditionally managed by the national security bureaucracy.

For Moscow, the decision to accept Trump’s overture appears rooted in a multifaceted geopolitical calculus. Beyond the tactical necessity of a pause during harsh winter conditions, the move serves as a sophisticated diplomatic maneuver. By validating Trump’s image as an effective mediator, Putin potentially drives a wedge between Washington and its European allies, many of whom now find themselves sidelined from the core negotiating process.

President Volodymyr Zelensky’s measured response reflects Kyiv’s deep-seated skepticism. By characterizing the arrangement as a U.S.-led "opportunity" rather than a formal "deal," Zelensky is signaling that Ukraine remains wary of being pressured into a disadvantageous settlement. His demand that Russia cease its strikes on critical energy infrastructure serves as a primary litmus test for Moscow’s sincerity.

Ultimately, this development represents a temporary de-escalation rather than a comprehensive peace settlement. The sustainability of the truce remains contingent on the outcome of upcoming negotiations and whether the parties demonstrate a genuine commitment to compliance under international scrutiny.

While the Russia-Ukraine conflict remains a frequent topic of debate across the Vietnamese diaspora—often viewed through the lens of global superpower dynamics—this temporary ceasefire has no immediate or direct impact on the community’s daily life. From the phở restaurants and nail salon industry in Little Saigon to the steady flow of remittances, the local economic pulse remains largely unaffected. Furthermore, the situation does not fundamentally alter critical immigration pathways or visa categories, such as F2B, H-1B, TPS, and EB-5, that many families closely follow.