Putin maintains control in Ukraine peace talks, offering little to Trump

Though the White House hailed the agreement as a significant step forward, marking the first time in over three years of conflict that both sides agreed to scale back hostilities, it remains limited.

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In a recent phone call with Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin furthered his strategic ambitions, edging closer to repairing Russia's relations with the U.S. while driving a wedge between Washington and Europe. However, analysts note that he offered minimal concessions regarding Trump's efforts to broker peace in Ukraine.

Ahead of the Tuesday conversation, the U.S. had proposed a 30-day ceasefire as a preliminary step toward a broader peace agreement, with Ukraine in principle agreeing to the plan. Instead, Putin consented only to a narrow ceasefire focusing solely on halting attacks on energy infrastructure for a month.

Though the White House hailed the agreement as a significant step forward, marking the first time in over three years of conflict that both sides agreed to scale back hostilities, it remains limited. The ceasefire applies only to energy strikes and extends to the Black Sea, where discussions on a maritime ceasefire will also proceed. These measures would curtail Ukraine's ability to target Russia's oil infrastructure, a crucial funding source for the war, as well as constrain its naval operations.