No attacks on Kiev and other cities “for a week”, given the cruel wave of frost predicted for the next few days in Ukraine, with lows that could reach 30 degrees below zero. Donald Trump lets the world know that he has obtained Vladimir Putin’s “yes” to his request for a halt to hostilities on the ground for a few days.
“They have never experienced such cold,” explains the American president from the White House, detailing that he “personally asked” the head of the Kremlin for this truce. “He accepted, and I must tell you, it was very nice,” adds the tycoon.
Trump’s announcement and Moscow’s failure to confirm it
Trump’s announcement found no immediate confirmation from Moscow.
«It’s an important statement», was the first reaction of the Ukrainian leader, Volodymyr Zelensky, who on
The Ukrainian energy system under pressure
A possible real pause in the attacks, in fact, could only be convenient for the Ukrainians: even more so given the hard blows recently inflicted by the Russians on the national energy system, continually denounced by Zelensky, and given that in the meantime the general winter is not only not making any concessions but also promises to lash the region with even lower temperatures.
Extreme frost and the emergency in the eastern regions
The weather report for the next few days makes your teeth chatter just by looking at it. Between 1 and 3 February, in areas already tormented by war such as the Donetsk and Kharkiv regions, minimum temperatures are expected to fluctuate between 20 and 27 degrees below zero.
A situation at the limits of sustainability, especially in places where attacks by Russian forces have led to interruptions in heating services and electricity supplies in homes, schools and other public buildings.
Kiev and the difficulties in restoring essential services
Starting from the capital Kiev itself where even in the last few hours, according to Zelensky, “the most difficult situation” was recorded, with desperate attempts to restore basic supplies there as well as in other areas.
Zelensky’s alarm about new Russian attacks
Before Trump’s latest announcement, the Ukrainian president had also warned fellow citizens of more bad news to come.
“The Russians are preparing a new massive attack,” he declared, referring to intelligence reports. Signs to be interpreted – was the gist of his speech – as a serious alarm bell.
Drone attacks and casualties in southern Ukraine
“It is necessary that America, Europe and all allies now understand how this would discredit the diplomatic talks” held in recent days between envoys from Kiev, Moscow and Washington, Zelensky warned. Almost simultaneously, Russian forces struck again, with drone strikes killing at least four people in the southern areas of Zaporizhzhia and Kryvyi Rih.
Diplomatic negotiations and international contacts
In parallel, some news has arrived on the developments of ongoing diplomatic activities, relaunched by the trilateral contacts between Russia, the USA and Ukraine last weekend in Abu Dhabi.
The US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, has made it known that in the next round of talks, expected shortly, Washington’s possible participation will not be entrusted in person to Trump’s two main envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
The role of the Kremlin and the invitation to negotiate in Moscow
While the Kremlin, through its spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, underlined that it had received no reactions to the new invitation sent to Zelensky to hold negotiations in Moscow with Putin.
Kiev’s appeals and the new European sanctions
Finally, Kiev’s appeals to European allies continue to ask them to maintain support for the Ukrainian cause, with Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha speaking in this sense with a video speech at the Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels. An answer came with the announcement of the decision to include Russia in the EU anti-money laundering blacklist.
“This will increase the costs of transactions with Russian banks,” explained High Representative Kaja Kallas, adding that the move “increases pressure” on Moscow.