The leaders of the US and Russia discussed potential Ukraine ceasefire on Tuesday
The EU states have expressed cautious optimism after US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed a potential Ukraine ceasefire during their phone call on Tuesday.
According to the Kremlin, Putin ordered the troops to halt strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure for 30 days. The Russian president also said that Moscow and Kiev will conduct a prisoner swap on Wednesday.
The leaders of France and Germany have welcomed the talks, but stressed a further need to back Ukraine.
“The next step must be a complete ceasefire for Ukraine and as quickly as possible. Of course it is clear that we both agree on this too,” Chancellor Olaf Scholz said at a press conference in Berlin with French President Emmanuel Macron.
Olaf reiterated that Germany will back Ukraine and “will not let [Kiev] down,” according to Reuters.
Macron called Russia’s agreement to halt strikes on energy facilities “a good start” in the peace process. “We will continue to support the Ukrainian army in its war of resistance against Russian aggression,” he said.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto described the Trump-Putin call as “great news” for Europe.
“Today, the American and Russian presidents have made another big step towards peace, and we hope that Brussels will not be able to prevent the peace agreement from being reached,” he wrote on Facebook. He expressed hope that both parties would respect the pause on the strikes on energy infrastructure.
Some EU officials previously said they were worried that Trump could reach a disadvantageous deal behind Ukraine’s back. The EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, argued on Monday that “Russia cannot really be trusted.”
Both Trump and Putin have hailed the talks as productive and useful in bringing an end to the Ukraine conflict.
During the conversation, which lasted 2.5 hours, Putin warned Trump that Ukraine in the past “repeatedly sabotaged and violated agreements.” He stressed that Moscow had questions about the US proposal for a 30-day comprehensive ceasefire, including the control over its implementation.
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