According to the emerging call readouts, Putin and Trump held “detailed and frank talks on Ukraine”. Both are describing how the call went ‘very well’. But much in the readouts. The White House called for the need for peace and a ceasefire in the Ukraine war. Putin agreed to start talks to “work something out”. But perhaps the most substantial agreement included a Putin pledge not to hit Ukraine’s energy infrastructure for a period of 30-days, in an apparent nod to the US-backed interim ceasefire proposal:
- WHITE HOUSE: THE LEADERS AGREED THAT THE MOVEMENT TO PEACE WILL BEGIN WITH AN ENERGY AND INFRASTRUCTURE CEASEFIRE
- KREMLIN: PUTIN SUPPORTS IDEA NOT TO HIT ENERGY FACILITIES
- PUTIN BACKS IDEA NOT TO HIT ENERGY FACILITIES FOR 30 DAYS
- PUTIN SAYS READY TO CONTINUE SEARCHING FOR WAYS TO PEACE: IFX
- KREMLIN: PUTIN, TRUMP AGREED TO STAY IN CONTACT – TASS
- KREMLIN: PUTIN AND TRUMP DISCUSSED UKRAINE, ECONOMIC TIES
- WHITE HOUSE: THE LEADERS AGREED THAT THE MOVEMENT TO PEACE WILL BEGIN WITH AN ENERGY AND INFRASTRUCTURE CEASEFIRE
- KREMLIN: PUTIN ORDERS TO PAUSE STRIKES ON ENERGY FACILITIES
- *WHITE HOUSE: PEACE TO BEGIN W/ ENERGY, INFRASTRUCTURE CEASEFIRE
- WHITE HOUSE: WILL NEGOTIATE FULL CEASEFIRE AND PERMANENT PEACE
- RUSSIA, UKRAINE TO SWAP 175 POWS EACH ON WEDNESDAY: KREMLIN
But so far the plan to refrain from energy attacks is an ‘idea’ – suggesting that if Ukraine keeps up its own cross-border attacks on Russia, it will all be moot.
Will this really take shape?
* * *
Update(1235ET): The highly anticipated Trump-Putin call has ended, and given the length (akin to the first one), there was no doubt a lot covered, which included the prioritization of working on “normalization” of US-Russia ties, as earlier previewed by the White House:
PHONE CALL LASTED ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF: MSNBC
It was widely reported earlier Tuesday that the US could be ready to extend to Moscow the recognition of sovereignty over the Crimean peninsula, which should be the easiest to grant. The White House has also been floating possible territorial concessions – something which Zelensky and hawkish supporters in the EU have rejected.
