Zelensky accuses Russia of rejecting ceasefire as fresh strikes hit Ukraine

KYIV - 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 to temporarily pause attacks on energy facilities.

Washington has been pushing an immediate 30-day ceasefire as a first step towards ending the grinding three-year-old war.

But in a 90-minute call with US President Donald Trump on Tuesday, Russian leader Vladimir Putin insisted that a comprehensive deal would be contingent on the West halting all military aid and intelligence to Ukraine.

While the highly anticipated Putin-Trump call did not secure the breakthrough ceasefire endorsed by Ukraine last week, it did result in a scaled-back commitment to halt attacks on energy infrastructure for 30 days.

According to the Kremlin, Putin has already ordered his military to pause strikes against Ukraine's power grid for 30 days.

Russia and Ukraine will also exchange 175 prisoners each on Wednesday "as a goodwill gesture", with further talks to take place immediately in the Middle East.

While Zelensky welcomed the proposed energy truce, he also said he needed more "details" from Washington.

Explosions rang out and air raid sirens wailed in Ukraine just hours after Trump and Putin spoke.

Zelensky said "there have been hits, specifically on civilian infrastructure", including a hospital in Sumy.

"It is these types of nighttime attacks by Russia that destroy our energy sector, our infrastructure, and the normal life of Ukrainians," Zelensky said.

"Today, Putin effectively rejected the proposal for a full ceasefire."

Across the border, Russian emergency service officials said debris from a repelled Ukrainian drone attack ignited a fire at an oil depot in the village of Kavkazskaya.

Zelensky has accused Russia of not being "ready to end this war". In Kyiv, war-weary Ukrainians were prone to agree.

"I don't believe Putin at all, not a single word. He only understands force," said Lev Sholoudko, 32.

'DETAILS TO WORK OUT'

Trump, who says he has an "understanding" with Putin, has been seeking to fulfil a campaign pledge to broker the end of the Ukraine war.

He stunned the world when he announced in February that he had started direct talks with Russia to end the conflict, sparking fears among allies that he would capitulate to Moscow's demands.

The US president hailed his latest call with Putin as "good and productive".

"We agreed to an immediate Ceasefire on all Energy and Infrastructure, with an understanding that we will be working quickly to have a Complete Ceasefire and, ultimately, an END to this very horrible War between Russia and Ukraine," Trump posted afterwards on his Truth Social platform.

Moscow has launched devastating attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure throughout the war, while Ukraine has used drones to bomb multiple Russian oil installations.

Moscow also underlined that a fuller truce was dependent on its long-standing demands for a "complete cessation" of Western military and intelligence support to Ukraine's military.

A Kremlin statement also emphasised that Kyiv could not rearm or mobilise during any ceasefire.

In a televised interview after the Trump-Putin call, US envoy Steve Witkoff said ceasefire talks would pick up again Sunday in Jeddah.

He acknowledged lingering "details to work out", including negotiations on a maritime ceasefire for the Black Sea and, eventually, a full truce.

'COUNT ON US'

Speaking to Fox News, Trump said pressing Putin into a full ceasefire would be tough as "Russia has the advantage".

Since seizing Crimea in 2014 and launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Moscow now occupies around a fifth of Ukraine.

Washington has made clear that Ukraine will likely have to cede territory in any deal, with European countries worried Trump will force Kyiv into an unfair agreement.

Western allies have watched with alarm as Trump has upended years of US policy staunchly backing Ukraine, most evident in his televised shouting match with Zelensky in the Oval Office.

The UK and French governments have been cobbling together a so-called "coalition of willing" to protect any ceasefire in Ukraine.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron vowed after the Kremlin statement that they would keep sending military aid to Ukraine.

"Ukraine can count on us," Scholz said.

But soldiers on Ukraine's front line remained doubtful peace could soon be at hand.

"How can you trust people who attack you and kill civilians, including children?" said Oleksandr, 35, who has returned to military training in the Donetsk region after being wounded in combat.