Putin and Trump Hold Call on Ukraine, Agree to Partial Ceasefire, Expert Comments

Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump held a two-hour phone call, discussing a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine, prisoner exchanges, and broader geopolitical issues, Orda reports.

The Kremlin described the exchange as “detailed and frank.”

Key Agreements: 30-Day Ceasefire, Prisoner Swap, and Energy Strikes Halt

The central topic of discussion was a 30-day ceasefire proposal. The Kremlin emphasized that a full ceasefire would require halting foreign military aid to Ukraine, stopping forced mobilization, and ceasing Ukraine’s rearmament efforts.

Putin agreed to suspend strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure for 30 days following Trump’s proposal.

We agreed on an immediate cessation of strikes on all energy and infrastructure facilities with the understanding that we will work towards a full ceasefire and, ultimately, an end to this terrible war, Trump said after the call.

The two leaders also confirmed a prisoner exchange set for March 19, with 175 prisoners from each side to be swapped, including 23 wounded Ukrainian soldiers currently in Russian hospitals.

Trump, however, denied that the matter of military support for Ukraine had been discussed.

Additionally, they agreed to open talks on Black Sea shipping security, though no details were finalized.

The call, initially scheduled for 10:00 AM Washington time, was reportedly delayed as Putin was late.

Zelenskyy Responds

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the prisoner exchange but emphasized that Ukraine must be included in any ceasefire talks, according to The Kyiv Independent.

I don't want us to be on Putin's menu. We are not a salad... We are an independent state. Without us, I think it's wrong to negotiate,Zelenskyy stated. 

Zelenskyy also stated that he expects military aid to continue, highlighting the willingness to agree to a 30-day pause on attacks on energy infrastructure but a need for more details.

Ceasefire Talks Set for March 23 in Jeddah

U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff confirmed that U.S.-Russia ceasefire talks are scheduled for March 23 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Up until recently, we really didn't have consensus around two aspects - the energy and infrastructure ceasefire and the Black Sea moratorium on firing - and today we got to that place. I think it's a relatively short distance to a full ceasefire from there, Witkoff said.

Expert Analysis

Tatiana Stanovaya, Founder/CEO at R.Politik and Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, noted that while Trump pushed for a complete ceasefire, Putin only agreed to suspend strikes on energy infrastructure temporarily.

The main tangible, though not pivotal, outcome was Putin’s agreement to a partial 30-day ceasefire — specifically, halting strikes on energy infrastructure,she explained.

The expert also notes that Putin reiterated conditions that make a broader truce unlikely — ending mobilization in Ukraine, halting foreign military aid, and preventing rearmament. While he did not outright reject a full ceasefire, he effectively did so by insisting on demands unlikely to be met.

Stanovaya also writes that while Russia and the U.S. agreed to expert-level talks on Black Sea security, no similar discussions were planned for an overall ceasefire.

A key takeaway, she added, was that Putin successfully avoided making significant concessions while using the call to frame negotiations on his terms.

Crucially, Putin managed to reject the proposal for a full ceasefire while turning the situation to his advantage without making concessions. This is very bad news for Ukraine, which is increasingly being treated as a bargaining chip in this game.the expert writes.