“Putin kept his word”: Trump responded to Zelensky’s accusations that Russia violated the energy ceasefire

U.S. President Donald Trump today effectively dismissed Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s statements that Russia had violated the agreements on an “energy ceasefire.”

Trump said this on February 3 at the White House, answering reporters’ questions while signing a government funding bill that ended a partial shutdown of federal agencies.

He said that “the ceasefire lasted from Sunday to Sunday. And Putin kept his word.”

“It ended, and Putin delivered a strong strike. One week is already a lot—we’re happy about any ceasefire,” Trump said.

It is known that Trump personally asked Russian leader Vladimir Putin not to shell Kyiv and other cities for a week, and Putin agreed.

This was also part of a dialogue involving White House special envoy Steve Witkoff on January 29 during a Cabinet meeting in the Oval Office.

“I think this shows, Mr. President, your key influence on these negotiations. The Ukrainians didn’t believe it was possible. The Russians are doing things that perhaps many didn’t expect, and I believe it’s all thanks to your indomitable spirit,” Witkoff said at the government meeting.

“Well, it was a good deed. You know, if you think it’s cold here, then in Ukraine, they say, you can safely add another 20%. It’s cold places there in general, but right now they’re facing frosts the likes of which they’ve never seen before. That’s why I decided to talk about it,” the U.S. president replied.

According to Trump, the Ukrainian leadership “almost didn’t believe it,” but was “very pleased” with Putin’s promise not to strike Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities during the period of severe cold.

Earlier, Zelenskyy said that Trump had spoken of an energy ceasefire lasting a week, but that Russia attacked Ukraine’s critical infrastructure just four days after it began.

In his evening address to Ukrainians, Zelenskyy demanded that Trump respond to the fact that Russia ended the energy ceasefire last night, while, according to the Ukrainian president’s version, it was supposed to last until Friday. However, Trump confirmed the Kremlin’s statement that the ceasefire was in effect until Sunday, February 1.