Russia Claims It Suspended Some Missile Strikes Following Trump-Putin Call
Under the terms of the preliminary agreement, Ukraine and Russia will stop targeting each other’s energy infrastructure—but it remains to be seen if either side will follow through.
After a phone conversation between President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin announced that it would halt further missile and drone strikes on energy targets inside Ukraine.
However, there is no final agreement for a tentative 30-day ceasefire, which could usher in a negotiated peace and end the three-year conflict.
Can Moscow Be Trusted?
According to Moscow, the ball is in Kyiv’s court right now. In addition to agreeing with President Trump’s proposal for a pause on strikes against energy targets, Putin offered his conditions for a broader ceasefire. But these conditions—principally a halt to foreign military aid and intelligence-sharing with Kyiv, and a halt to the recruitment and training of additional troops—are unlikely to be received positively by the Ukrainians. Crucially, the Russian leader did not say whether the Russian forces would also stop mobilizing during the period of the ceasefire, or stop receiving foreign military aid from North Korea, Iran, and China.
“ISW continues to assess that Putin is attempting to hold the temporary ceasefire proposal hostage in order to extract preemptive concessions ahead of formal negotiations to end the war,” the Institute for the Study of War assessed in its latest estimate on the Ukrainian conflict.
Putin’s conditions, therefore, do not appear to constitute an honest effort for a ceasefire that could be the first important step in ending the war.
“ISW also continues to assess that Putin’s demands for the removal of the legitimate government of Ukraine, the weakening of the Ukrainian military such that it cannot defend against future Russian aggression, and the denial of Ukraine’s sovereignty and independence remain unchanged,” the ISW added.
Ukraine Is Hurting Russia, Too
Still, the fact that the Russian leader did agree to something is a positive note. Under the terms of the preliminary agreement, Ukraine and Russia will stop targeting and striking each other’s energy infrastructure with long-range fires, including ballistic and cruise missiles and suicide drones. The period of this strike embargo remains unclear.
Putin’s eagerness to halt long-range strikes reveals the effectiveness of the Ukrainian military and intelligence services in targeting and destroying military and industrial targets inside Russia. Notably, Ukraine has conducted dozens of successful attacks against Russian oil refineries and oil-related infrastructure, hitting the Kremlin in one of its most lucrative industries and depriving it of a key source of funds. So, if the Kremlin does not agree to a reasonable ceasefire, the success of the missile and suicide drone strikes offer Kyiv a template of how to negotiate from a position of power that could be replicated in other parts of the conflict to help bring a negotiated peace.
Although Ukraine might need a ceasefire more than the Russian military right now, Russia is not faring very well under the costs and pressures of a three-year conventional war—leading to hope that a negotiated settlement is possible.
About the Author: Stavros Atlamazoglou
Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist specializing in special operations and a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ). He holds a BA from the Johns Hopkins University and an MA from the Johns Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP.
Image: Wikimedia Commons.
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