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Putin 'kept his word' — Trump reacts to latest Russian strike on Ukraine

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Putin 'kept his word' — Trump reacts to latest Russian strike on Ukraine
US President Donald Trump speaks with the media in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, February 3, 2026. (Photo by Saul Loeb / AFP via Getty Images)

Speaking to reporters at the White House on Feb. 3, 2026, U.S. President Donald Trump said Russian President Vladimir Putin had "kept his word" regarding a temporary truce on strikes against Ukraine's critical energy infrastructure.

"(The pause) was for Sunday to Sunday," Trump said. "It opened up and (Putin) hit them hard... He kept his word on that. One week is a lot — we will take anything."

Trump's remarks came in response to a question about Russia's latest attack on Ukraine, after Moscow targeted the country's power plants overnight on Feb. 3.

Taking advantage of a bitter cold snap that pushed temperatures below -20°C (-4°F), Russia launched one of the largest attacks of the winter, firing more than 70 missiles and 450 drones across Ukraine.

The mass attack marked the end of a brief energy ceasefire, under which Moscow had agreed to temporarily pause attacks on Ukraine's critical infrastructure after Trump said on Jan. 29 that he had personally asked Putin to refrain from attacking Kyiv.

The Kremlin had previously stated that the pause would last only until Feb. 1.

The latest attack also comes as Ukraine and Russia prepare for another round of peace talks this week aimed at ending Russia's full-scale invasion. Representatives from Ukraine, the United States, and Russia are expected to meet in Abu Dhabi on Feb. 4-5.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said the mass attack would require Ukraine's negotiating team to adjust its approach, adding that Moscow "does not take diplomacy seriously."

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Lucy Pakhnyuk

News Editor

Lucy Pakhnyuk is a North America-based news editor at the Kyiv Independent. She previously worked in international development, specializing in democracy, human rights, and governance across Eastern Europe and Eurasia. Her experience includes roles at international NGOs such as Internews, the National Democratic Institute, and Eurasia Foundation. She holds an M.A. in Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies and a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

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