OAN Staff Cory Hawkins
4:15 PM – Thursday, January 29, 2026
President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed to a one-week halt in strikes against Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities to provide humanitarian relief during a period of record-setting cold.
“Because of the cold,” Trump said at a Cabinet meeting on Thursday. “Extreme cold. They have the same that we do. I personally asked President Putin not to fire on Kyiv and the cities and towns for a week. Because of the…it’s not a cold, it’s extraordinarily cold. Record setting cold. Over there too. They’re having the same…it’s a big pile of bad weather, the worst. They said they’ve never experienced weather like that.”
“And I personally asked President Putin not to fire into Kyiv and the various towns for a week and he agreed to do that. And I have to tell you, it was very nice.” Trump added.
Russia has persistently targeted Ukraine’s infrastructure to weaken public morale, leaving many to endure the peak of winter without heat. President Trump recently noted that the Kremlin agreed to a week-long pause in these strikes, though the agreement has yet to be officially confirmed by Moscow.
“A lot of people said, ‘Don’t waste the call. You’re not going to get that.’ And he did it,” Trump said. “And we’re very happy — because the last thing those people need right now is missiles raining down on their towns and cities.”
Ukrainians were overjoyed upon receiving the news, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who thanked Trump for helping “protect lives.”
“Thank you, President Trump! Our teams discussed this in the United Arab Emirates. We expect the agreements to be implemented. De-escalation steps contribute to real progress toward ending the war.” Zelensky wrote on a post to X.
Russia’s persistent bombardment of Ukraine has recently crippled vital power plants, heating systems, and rail lines, forcing civilians to battle a humanitarian crisis alongside the war.
Beyond the destruction of residential neighborhoods, recent strikes have left more than one million residents nationwide without electricity. As Russian missiles continue to fall, authorities are scrambling to open emergency warming centers and food distribution hubs to support those displaced or left without utilities.
In Kyiv, Zelensky said that over 700 buildings across three districts remain without heat, leaving families, children, and the elderly to survive dangerously low temperatures. While daytime highs struggled to reach -1°C (30°F) this week, nighttime lows have plummeted between -20°C (-4°F) and -25°C (-13°F).
“Repair crews are working at maximum capacity,” Zelensky added on X. “However, much greater speed is needed in decision-making at the city level in Kyiv.”
Ukrainian authorities have warned that persistent Russian re-strikes on repaired energy facilities are deliberately prolonging blackouts and deepening civilian hardship.
The crisis remains severe, with recent strikes forcing emergency power outages across 80% of the country. In response, the European Union has committed €153 million (approximately $183 million) in emergency aid to help stabilize Ukraine’s energy grid.
With weather forecasts predicting temperatures could plunge to -30°C (-22°F) in the coming days, the risk to human life has intensified, underscoring the urgent need for a genuine de-escalation.
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