Trump: I Asked Putin Not to Strike Kyiv During ‘Extraordinary Cold’
In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, emergency services personnel work to extinguish a fire following a Russian attack in Odesa region, Ukraine, Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)
President Trump said Thursday that he asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to halt attacks on Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, for one week amid extreme winter cold, and that Putin agreed to the request. Russia has not publicly confirmed the pause.
Speaking during a Cabinet meeting at the White House, Trump said he personally urged Putin to avoid striking Kyiv and other cities during what he described as an “extraordinary cold” period. He said Putin agreed to the request, adding that he was pleased with the outcome.
The appeal comes as Russia continues to strike Ukraine’s critical infrastructure, leaving many parts of the country without heat or electricity in the middle of winter. Kyiv is expected to face a severe cold snap beginning Friday and lasting into next week.
Trump said some advisers warned him not to make the request, suggesting it would be unsuccessful. “A lot of people said, ‘Don’t waste the call. You’re not going to get that,’” Trump said. “And he did it. And we’re very happy that they did it.”
Earlier Thursday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment when asked whether Russia and Ukraine were discussing a mutual pause in strikes on energy facilities.
Ukraine has faced widespread power shortages this winter as Russian forces have repeatedly targeted infrastructure that provides heat and running water. Ukrainian officials have described the strategy as an attempt to break civilian morale by “weaponizing winter” during the ongoing war, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned Thursday that Russia may be preparing another major aerial assault, even as U.S.-brokered peace talks are expected to continue this weekend. He said intelligence reports indicate Russia is assembling forces for a large-scale attack, similar to previous barrages that have involved hundreds of drones along with cruise and ballistic missiles aimed at the power grid.
Ukrainian authorities reported that a Russian drone strike killed three people overnight in the southern Zaporizhzhia region. Earlier this week, at least five people were killed when a drone hit a crowded passenger train in the Kharkiv region. Zelensky condemned that attack as “terrorism,” saying it had no military justification.
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