Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he expects Russia to observe a weeklong pause on strikes against Kyiv and other cities announced by U.S. President Donald Trump due to winter weather. He said discussions in the United Arab Emirates informed his cautious optimism and that the coming days will reveal whether Moscow complies. Zelenskiy thanked Washington for efforts to halt strikes on energy infrastructure and said authorities will closely monitor the situation.
Zelenskiy Hopes Russia Will Honour U.S.-Announced Weeklong Pause On Strikes Against Kyiv
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy attends a press conference with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda and Polish President Karol Nawrocki at the Presidential Palace in Vilnius, Lithuania, January 25, 2026. REUTERS/Kuba Stezycki
Jan 29 (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Thursday he expects Russia to implement an agreement, announced by U.S. President Donald Trump, to refrain from striking Kyiv and other cities for a week because of winter weather.
Zelenskiy said the coming days would show whether Moscow would abide by the arrangement. He noted that his teams discussed the issue in the United Arab Emirates and expressed cautious optimism that de-escalation steps could help move toward ending the war.
"Our teams discussed this in the United Arab Emirates. We expect the agreements to be implemented," Zelenskiy wrote in English on the X social media platform. "De-escalation steps contribute to real progress toward ending the war."
In his nightly video address immediately after his post, Zelenskiy thanked Washington for the initiative, describing it as an effort to halt Russian strikes on energy targets.
"Thanks to the American side for their efforts in ensuring a stop to strikes on energy (targets) at this time and let's hope that America succeeds in ensuring this," he said. "We shall see what the real situation is with our energy facilities and cities in the days and nights to come."
Zelenskiy urged vigilance and said that Ukrainian authorities would monitor developments closely to determine whether the temporary pause is implemented in practice.
(Reporting by Ron Popeski; Editing by Rod Nickel)
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