The Kremlin on March 18 announced it had agreed to a U.S.-proposed partial ceasefire against certain targets in Ukraine, claiming Russian President Vladimir Putin had "responded favorably to the proposal and immediately" ordered his armed forces to halt attacks. Despite the announcement — made after a call between Putin
Russia sees Ukraine's Constitution as an "obstacle" to peace efforts as it does not permit territorial changes, Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu said on March 19, according to state-owned TASS news agency.
"There are regions, there are cities and towns that are cut off by one or another contact line, and if in some places you leave this line, you will simply leave these cities or towns without life; no one will return to half of the city," President Volodymyr Zelensky said, comparing such cities to divided Berlin during the Cold War.
Key developments on March 19: * Zelensky agrees to halt strikes on Russian energy infrastructure during call with Trump * US ownership of Ukraine's power plants would be 'best protection' of energy infrastructure, White House says * Ukraine brings home 175 prisoners of war in swap with Russia * Ukrainian drone strike halts operations
U.S. President Donald Trump said it was a "great call." A Kremlin aide declared the world had "become a much safer place." But in Kyiv, the reaction to the call between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on March 18 has been noticeably more muted. “Judging by the news,
"After this supposedly groundbreaking, great phone call, the Russian attacks have not decreased," Boris Pistorius said.
“I actually think in a couple of weeks we’re going to get to it (a ceasefire). So, lots of good things. Now it’s for the technical teams to dot the I’s and cross the T’s. And everybody is committed to that process," said U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff.
"And if the Russians don't hit our facilities, we won't hit their facilities," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Russian drones targeted energy facilities, hospitals, and civilian infrastructure. Outages were reported in the Donetsk Oblast city of Sloviansk.
"Today, I will contact President Trump. We will discuss the details of the next steps," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
A hospital in Ukraine's northeastern city of Sumy and another in the town of Krasnopillia were hit by drones during a series of attacks on Ukraine, prompting President Volodymyr Zelensky to accuse Vladimir Putin of de facto rejecting a ceasefire.
"I would commend President Putin for all he did today on that call to move his country close to a final peace deal," Steve Witkoff said after the 1.5-hour phone call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.
Trump also said it was "a great call" and that the U.S. hopes to expand trade with Russia, including deals on "very big forms of rare earth."
"We are an independent state. Without us, I think it's wrong to negotiate," President Volodymyr Zelensky said on March 18.
"We will support such a proposal, but we're very interested in the details," Zelensky said, in reference to a proposed 30-day ceasefire on energy infrastructure attacks.
"I expect that we will have a conversation with President Trump, we will understand the details," Zelensky told Suspilne on March 18. "We have always supported the position of not attacking the energy sector with any weapons."
The Kremlin has demanded a complete cessation of foreign military aid and intelligence to Ukraine as a "key condition for avoiding an escalation of the war," according to a statement released on March 18.
The U.S. military has 247 military satellites and thousands of commercial satellites, providing an "unrivaled picture" of eastern Ukraine that European forces would struggle to replicate, the Times wrote.
The Kremlin wants all Western arms supplies to Ukraine to stop during a proposed truce but prioritizes a pause on U.S. arms as its "minimum aim," Bloomberg reported on March 18, citing two undisclosed sources in Moscow.
Russia is not "losing hope" ahead of a planned call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump, Putin's aide Yuri Ushakov told pro-Kremlin news outlet Kommersant on March 18.
The potential move comes as U.S. President Donald Trump prepares for a call with Vladimir Putin on March 18, with a proposed 30-day ceasefire on the table.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on March 17 that the U.S. had to push Ukraine "to do the right thing" regarding efforts to end the war while recalling his public clash with President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office last month.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on March 17 that the Trump administration believes they have "never been closer" to closing a ceasefire deal in Ukraine, ahead of a call scheduled between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin for March 18.
U.S. President Donald Trump held a phone call with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on March 18 to discuss a U.S.-backed ceasefire proposal. Putin claimed Russia would pause attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure for 30 days, but did not commit to a broader ceasefire. Russia has declined
Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha stressed that Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty are non-negotiable, reaffirming that Kyiv will never recognize Russian-occupied territories as part of Russia.
"A peace treaty may provide for unarmed observers in Ukraine, a civilian mission to monitor the implementation of certain aspects of the agreement, or guarantee mechanisms," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said.
"I'll be speaking to President Putin on Tuesday. A lot of work's been done over the weekend," U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters.
"There is a nuclear reactor that supplies quite a bit of electricity to the country of Ukraine. That’s got to be dealt with," Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, said on March 16.
If there is a positive outcome regarding the end of the war, Lviv's international airport could resume flights as early as April or May this year.
Turkey has positioned itself as a potential mediator in Russia's war against Ukraine, now in its fourth year, by maintaining diplomatic and economic ties with both nations while supporting Ukraine's sovereignty.
Speaking on CBS’s "Face the Nation" on March 16, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that the primary goal is to secure a ceasefire before moving forward with broader negotiations for a permanent resolution.
"The Russian army is advancing on all fronts, and under these circumstances, the ceasefire could be viewed as a way to allow Ukraine to strengthen its position," Yuri Ushakov, a close adviser to Vladimir Putin, told media on March 16.
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