United States President Donald Trump said that Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed to a week-long pause in fighting in the Ukraine war.
Speaking at a Cabinet meeting focused on the US government shutdown, Trump also addressed developments in the Gaza ceasefire and the Ukraine conflict, noting that the pause was agreed upon because of extremely cold weather in the region.
“Because of the cold, extreme cold… I personally asked President Putin not to fire on Kyiv and the cities and towns,” said Trump, adding that Putin has agreed to this pause.
‘It was very nice. Because on top of everything else, it’s not what they need, missiles coming to their towns [when it is this cold],” said Trump.
“I thought It was a very good thing. Ukraine almost did not believe it and they were very happy to hear it as they are struggling very badly,” Trump added further.
What is a cold snap?
The cold snap refers to the severe cold wave currently affecting Ukraine and Russia. According to local reports, temperatures in Ukraine have dropped as low as minus 27°C.
Ukraine’s State Emergency Service has warned of a sharp decline in temperatures in February. The Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Centre forecasts that overnight temperatures across most regions between February 1 and 3 will fall to minus 20 to minus 27°C.
Local media reported that temperatures in the Kyiv, Chernihiv, Zhytomyr, Rivne, Sumy, Poltava, and Kharkiv regions, as well as in the capital Kyiv, are expected to drop to minus 20–25°C, with daytime highs ranging between minus 15 and 22°C.
In Russia, temperatures continue to fall, with the Far East experiencing its heaviest snowfall in 60 years after a winter storm swept across Asia last week.
According to a Reuters report, scientists said the extreme weather is linked to waves of cold Arctic air, one impacting eastern Russia and Asia, and another affecting eastern Europe.
