
Ukraine on Wednesday accused Russia of effectively rejecting a US-backed ceasefire proposal, reporting a barrage of strikes on civilian infrastructure hours after Moscow agreed only to pause attacks on the energy grid.
Washington has been pushing for a full, 30-day ceasefire as a first step towards a wider settlement of the grinding three-year-old war.
But in a 90-minute call with Donald Trump on Tuesday (US time), Russian President Vladimir Putin refused, insisting that any such deal would be contingent on the West halting all military aid for Ukraine.
According to the Kremlin, Putin has already ordered his military to pause strikes against Ukrainian energy targets for 30 days.
The highly anticipated Putin-Trump call also resulted in the announcement that Russia and Ukraine will exchange 175 prisoners each on Wednesday.
Zelenskyy welcomed the proposed energy truce but said he needed more 鈥渄etails鈥 from Washington.
Moscow has launched devastating attacks on Ukraine鈥檚 energy infrastructure throughout the war, while Ukraine has used drones to bomb multiple Russian oil installations.
Explosions rang out and air raid sirens wailed in Ukraine just hours after Trump and Putin spoke.
Zelenskyy said 鈥渢here have been hits, specifically on civilian infrastructure鈥, including a hospital in Sumy.
鈥淚t is these types of nighttime attacks by Russia that destroy our energy sector, our infrastructure, and the normal life of Ukrainians,鈥 Zelenskyy said.
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鈥淭oday, Putin effectively rejected the proposal for a full ceasefire.鈥
In Kyiv, Ukrainians were doubtful of any concessions from Putin.
Lev Sholoudko, 32, said he did not expect even the energy infrastructure would be spared.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 believe Putin at all, not a single word. He only understands force.鈥
Trump, who says he has an 鈥渦nderstanding鈥 with Putin, has been seeking a breakthrough in the Ukraine war since returning to the White House in January.
He stunned the world when he announced he had started direct talks with Russia to end the conflict, sparking fears among allies that he was pivoting too far towards Moscow.
The US President hailed his latest call with Putin as 鈥済ood and productive鈥, and the White House said in a readout that the Russian leader had consented to a 30-day ceasefire on energy infrastructure.
But Moscow also underlined that a fuller truce was dependent on long-standing demands for a 鈥渃omplete cessation鈥 of Western military and intelligence support to Ukraine鈥檚 embattled military.
A Kremlin statement also emphasised that Kyiv could not rearm or mobilise during any ceasefire.
Zelenskyy 鈥 who accepted a full ceasefire proposal during talks in Saudi Arabia last week 鈥 has lashed out at Russia for its reluctance to reach a deal.
鈥淭hey are not ready to end this war, and we can see that.鈥
Zelenskyy also said that Ukrainian troops would continue fighting in Russia鈥檚 Kursk region 鈥渁s long as we need,鈥 following days of major Russian advances in the area that Kyiv partially seized last year.
Russia said on Tuesday that Ukrainian forces attempted a ground assault on the Belgorod region earlier but were pushed back, casting it as an attempt to undermine the Trump talks.
Trump has been intent on delivering on an election pledge to end the war in Ukraine, blaming his predecessor Joe Biden鈥檚 policy on Russia for fuelling the war.
He has pursued a sharply different tack, upending years of US policy staunchly backing Ukraine, most evident in his televised shouting match with Zelenskyy in the Oval Office.
Western allies remain sceptical that Putin is ready for a ceasefire.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron vowed after the Kremlin statement that they would keep sending military aid to Ukraine.
鈥淯kraine can count on us,鈥 Scholz said.
As the talks were under way, soldiers on Ukraine鈥檚 frontline also remained doubtful.
鈥淗ow can you trust people who attack you and kill civilians, including children?鈥 said Oleksandr, 35, who has returned to military training in the Donetsk region after being injured in combat.
鈥 Agence France-Presse
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