This is a developing story and is being updated.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed to a 30-day pause of energy infrastructure strikes during a call with U.S. President Donald Trump, according to a readout of the call issued by the Kremlin on March 18.
"During the conversation, Donald Trump proposed a mutual refusal of the parties to the conflict to strike for 30 days on energy infrastructure facilities," the statement said.
"Vladimir Putin responded positively to this initiative and immediately gave the appropriate command to the Russian military."
Russia has been bombing Ukraine's civilian energy infrastructure since 2022 and has been steadily expanding its air campaigns in recent months, with bombardments by swarms of Shahed drones a nightly occurrence.
Ukraine has recently had some success in counterattacks. On the night of March 10, over 330 Ukrainian drones targeted Moscow. Subsequent strikes have hit Russia's fossil fuel infrastructure.
The Kremlin also said Putin "responded constructively to Donald Trump's idea of implementing a well-known initiative concerning the safety of navigation in the Black Sea."
"It was agreed to begin negotiations to further elaborate specific details of such an agreement," the statement added.
The statement followed a 1.5-hours phone call between Putin and Trump, during which they discussed ending the war in Ukraine and the U.S. proposal for a 30-day ceasefire to allow for further peace talks.
The Kremlin also demanded a complete cessation of foreign military aid and intelligence to Ukraine as a "key condition for avoiding an escalation of the war."
In addition to halting foreign military aid and intelligence, Russia also called for Ukraine to cease the mobilization and rearmament of its military.
Yuliia Taradiuk
(Updated: )
