By Charles Switzer
11:45pm PDT, Mar 19, 2025
Russia Strikes Civilian Infrastructure Despite Ceasefire Agreement
Hours after Russian President
Vladimir Putin agreed to halt strikes on Ukraine's energy facilities, reports emerged that Russian forces had instead targeted civilian infrastructure.
The agreement, reached in a three-hour call between Putin and U.S. President
Donald Trump on Tuesday, March 18, was hailed by the White House as a "movement to peace."
However, Ukraine's Head of Presidential Office,
Andriy Yermak, accused Russia of continuing attacks, claiming that a Russian drone struck a hospital in Sumy. Unverified reports also suggested that energy infrastructure in Slovyansk, which is located in the Donetsk region, had been hit, causing widespread blackouts. The contradiction between Russia's pledge and its actions raised doubts about Moscow's sincerity in seeking de-escalation.
Here's what happened.
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Trump-Putin Talks and Russia's Conditions for Peace
During their conversation, Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin discussed a ceasefire on energy infrastructure but did not reach an agreement on a broader 30-day pause in hostilities, which the U.S. had been advocating.
While Trump framed the development as a step toward ending the war, there was no indication that Putin had relented on his key demands for peace.
According to the Kremlin, Putin reiterated that Ukraine must withdraw from four partially occupied regions, abandon aspirations to join
NATO, and significantly reduce its military forces. These conditions remain nonstarters for Kyiv, which continues to reject any settlement that undermines its sovereignty and security.
Conflicting Accounts of Military Aid Discussions
A notable discrepancy arose regarding discussions on foreign military assistance to Ukraine.
The Kremlin stated that Vladimir Putin demanded an end to Western military and intelligence support for Ukraine, a condition that Kyiv fiercely opposes. However, Donald Trump denied that the topic had even been discussed, telling
Fox News, "We didn't talk about aid at all."
This contradiction left uncertainty about the true content of the call and whether Trump had made any implicit assurances to Moscow. Ukrainian President
Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized the need for full transparency, insisting that any negotiations should involve Ukraine directly rather than being discussed between foreign leaders without Kyiv's input.
Ukraine Pushes for a Fair and Inclusive Peace Process
Following the call, Volodymyr Zelensky reaffirmed Ukraine's openness to peace talks but stressed that any resolution must be fair and sustainable. He warned that halting military aid would weaken Ukraine's ability to defend itself and that no agreement should be made behind closed doors without Ukraine's involvement.
"There are two sides in this war — Russia and Ukraine. Trying to negotiate without Ukraine, in my view, will not be productive," he said.
Earlier in the month, Ukrainian officials had proposed a ceasefire covering the Black Sea, long-range missile strikes, and the release of prisoners. However, Russia has not publicly responded to this proposal.
Prisoner Exchange Amidst Ongoing Conflict
Despite the continued hostilities, one tangible outcome from the Donald Trump-Vladimir Putin call was an agreement on a prisoner exchange. Both sides exchanged 175 prisoners of war on Wednesday, March 19, with Russia also set to release 23 severely wounded Ukrainian soldiers.
While this agreement marks a rare moment of cooperation, it does little to address the broader conflict, which remains unresolved.
