Ukraine war briefing: Nearly 2 million military casualties to date, study finds, with Russia bearing brunt of losses
Guardian2 days
Trump Says Putin Agreed to Halt Strikes on Ukrainian Cities
Did Putin show mercy during extreme weather or did Trump's diplomacy secure Ukraine's energy truce?
Above: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks in the Cabinet Room of the White House on Jan. 29, 2026. Image credit: Win McNamee/Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-Trump narrative
It was very nice of Russia's Putin to agree to stop the strikes on Ukrainian cities amid this extreme weather. People told President Trump not to bother calling him, but he did it anyway, and look what he achieved. The Ukrainians almost couldn't believe it, but they were very happy as they were struggling badly.
Pro-Russia narrative
President Trump did, in fact, personally reach out to Putin to request this energy truce. This was done with the interest of having favorable conditions for ongoing negotiations, so Russia accepted.
Pro-Ukraine narrative
This was an important move from President Trump that protected Ukrainian cities — especially during this extreme weather. Ukraine thanks Trump for these efforts that were discussed at the UAE meetings. De-escalatory steps like these will contribute in a big way to ending the war.
Metaculus Prediction
Establishment split
CRITICAL
PRO
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© 2026 Improve the News Foundation. All rights reserved.Version 6.18.0
© 2026 Improve the News Foundation.
All rights reserved.
Version 6.18.0