Following a telephone conversation with Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin agreed on Tuesday afternoon (18/3/25) to a limited ceasefire concerning Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. However, the Russian leader refused to commit to a full ceasefire lasting a month. Trump and Putin agreed to initiate negotiations at a technical level aimed at achieving a ceasefire in the Black Sea region. Hours later, however, air raid sirens sounded in Kyiv accompanied by explosions. Despite this, Trump described his detailed and candid exchange with Putin about Ukraine as ‘good and productive.’ Both leaders emphasized that the resolution of the conflict must be comprehensive, sustainable, and long-term, taking into account Russia’s security interests and deeper causes of the war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that while discussions without Ukraine present are meaningless, he supports the U.S. proposal for a 30-day halt on attacks against energy infrastructure. Meanwhile, Putin insisted that for a complete ceasefire, Ukraine must cease mobilization and rearmament, along with the full cessation of foreign military aid and intelligence sharing.