US Pushes Temporary Pause in Attacks as Ukraine Peace Talks Gain Momentum

Washington, Jan 2026 : US President Donald Trump on Thursday said that Russia has agreed to temporarily halt missile and drone attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities for a week during a period of extreme cold, marking what the administration describes as fresh momentum in diplomatic efforts to ease the conflict in Ukraine.

Addressing his Cabinet, Trump asked his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, to brief senior officials on the latest developments in negotiations. Witkoff said talks had gained significant traction since discussions held in Geneva, calling the recent progress unprecedented in the context of the nearly four-year-long war.

“The Ukrainians actually told us that we’ve made more progress since Geneva than they’ve seen in the last four years of this conflict,” Witkoff said, signaling cautious optimism from Kyiv over the current diplomatic track.

According to Witkoff, US officials have held direct meetings with senior Russian representatives in recent days. He revealed that five Russian generals met American officials in Abu Dhabi last Sunday. “We had five Russian generals with Jared, Dan Driscoll, and me, and we believe we made a lot of progress,” he said, adding that discussions are expected to continue within the next week.

Witkoff also indicated that concrete frameworks are beginning to take shape. He said draft agreements related to security arrangements and economic recovery were largely complete. “We have a security protocol agreement that’s mostly finished and a prosperity agreement that’s largely finished,” he said. He added that many Ukrainians are now hopeful that these talks could soon result in a formal peace deal.

President Trump then shared details of a direct appeal he made to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Citing record-breaking cold weather affecting Ukraine, Trump said he personally requested a pause in attacks on civilian areas. “Because of the extreme cold, I asked President Putin not to fire on Kyiv and other cities and towns for a week,” Trump said. “And he agreed.”

Trump noted that several advisers had discouraged him from making the call, warning it would not succeed. “A lot of people said, don’t waste the call,” he said. “But he did it.”

Emphasizing the humanitarian importance of the pause, Trump said Ukraine is under severe strain, particularly during harsh winter conditions. “They are struggling badly,” he said, adding that missile strikes during freezing temperatures would only worsen the suffering of civilians. “What they don’t need right now is missiles coming into their towns and cities.”

Witkoff credited Trump’s direct involvement for the diplomatic breakthrough, saying it demonstrated strong leadership at a critical moment. He noted that Ukrainian officials had not believed such a pause was possible.

The Trump administration has described its broader strategy as “peace through strength,” pursuing diplomacy while maintaining pressure on all sides. Talks are continuing through parallel channels involving the United States, Russia, and Ukraine.

As the war enters its fourth year, Ukraine continues to face heavy casualties, widespread infrastructure damage, and humanitarian challenges. While previous mediation efforts have failed to deliver a comprehensive ceasefire, US officials say the latest developments offer renewed hope for a path toward peace.

(The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)