Russia said it accepted part of U.S. President Donald Trump's request and would halt attacks on Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, through the 1st of next month. Ukraine said it would take corresponding steps if Russia stopped attacking energy facilities.
According to U.S. broadcaster CNN and others, Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters on the 30th (local time) that Russia agreed to Trump's "personal request" to temporarily suspend attacks on major Ukrainian cities. They agreed to stop attacks on Kyiv through the 1st of next month. According to the report, there were no air raids in Kyiv in the early hours of the 30th.
Spokesperson Peskov said of Trump's request that it was "to create a good environment for negotiations." Trump said the previous day that President Vladimir Putin agreed to suspend attacks for a week on major Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv. He said Putin agreed to the request to refrain from shelling Ukraine, which is facing severe cold. Peskov, however, did not provide details such as when the two leaders spoke or the scope of the suspension of air raids.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a statement after the Kremlin's remarks that if Russia stopped its attacks, Ukraine would respond in kind. Zelensky said the suspension of attacks was pursued at the suggestion of the United States and that there was no direct dialogue or agreement between Ukraine and Russia regarding this. He added, "It can be seen as an opportunity rather than an agreement."
In a speech the same day, Zelensky also said, "If Russia does not attack our energy infrastructure—namely power plants or other energy assets—we will not attack their facilities either."
Zelensky also said regarding the three-way talks among the United States, Russia and Ukraine scheduled for the 1st of next month that "the time and place may change." Earlier, three-way talks on Ukraine's peace plan were held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), on the 23rd to 24th. Zelensky said the key to the negotiations is that Russia's demands regarding Ukrainian territory remain unresolved.