Overview

• US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to a 30-day pause on attacks targeting Ukraine's energy infrastructure, contingent on Ukraine's reciprocal restraint.
• The agreement is viewed as a preliminary step toward broader peace talks but does not include a comprehensive ceasefire, which Putin rejected.
• Putin outlined conditions for a broader ceasefire, including halting Western arms supplies and intelligence sharing with Ukraine, while Kyiv has yet to officially respond to the partial deal.
• European leaders, including Olaf Scholz and Emmanuel Macron, criticized the exclusion of Ukraine and European allies from the negotiations and called for a fully inclusive peace process.
• Discussions between Trump and Putin also addressed nuclear proliferation, Middle East stability, and the potential for improved US-Russia relations.