Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump agreed in a phone call that Russia and Ukraine stop attacking each other's energy infrastructure for 30 days and gave the Russian military an order to do so.
The Kremlin also said in a statement that the two leaders discussed a US proposal for a 30-day ceasefire, to which Ukraine agreed last week.
According to the Kremlin said Putin had raised "significant points" about monitoring such a truce and preventing it from being used by Ukraine to mobilize more soldiers and rearm itself.
"It was emphasized that the key condition for preventing the escalation of the conflict and working towards its resolution by political and diplomatic means should be a complete cessation of foreign military assistance and the provision of intelligence information to Kyiv," the Kremlin said.
Meanwhile, the White House said that Trump and Putin agreed that the war between Russia and Ukraine needs to end with a "lasting peace" and that talks to achieve that goal will begin immediately.
"The leaders agreed that the movement to peace will begin with an energy and infrastructure ceasefire, as well as technical negotiations on implementation of a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea, full ceasefire and permanent peace," the White House said in a statement about the call. "These negotiations will begin immediately in the Middle East."
Putin says Russia, Ukraine to swap 175 POWs each on Wednesday
Russia and Ukraine will exchange 175 prisoners of war each on Wednesday following a phone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump, the Kremlin said.
"Vladimir Putin said that on March 19 the Russian and Ukrainian sides will exchange prisoners — 175 for 175 people," the Kremlin said in a readout of the call.
Putin also told Trump that Russia would transfer 23 severely wounded Ukrainian soldiers to Ukraine as a goodwill gesture, according to a readout.
Ukraine has not yet confirmed the prisoner exchange.
Scholz, Macron call for 'complete ceasefire' in Ukraine
Outgoing German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called an energy infrastructure ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia agreed by US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin an important first step, but said a complete ceasefire must come next.
"The next step must be a complete ceasefire for Ukraine and as quickly as possible. Of course it is clear that we both agree on this too," said Scholz at a news conference in Berlin with French President Emmanuel Macron.
Scholz also reiterated that no decision should be made without Ukraine's involvement.
The leaders of Germany and France vowed to continue providing military aid to Ukraine, after Russian President Vladimir Putin called for a "complete cessation" of Western military assistance in a phone call with Trump.
"We both agree that Ukraine can count on us, that Ukraine can count on Europe and that we will not let (Kyiv) down," Scholz said.
Macron added: "We will continue to support the Ukrainian army in its war of resistance against Russian aggression."
Trump says he and Putin agreed to work on full ceasefire
US President Donald Trump said that his telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin had been "a very good and productive" one.
"We agreed to an immediate ceasefire on all energy and infrastructure, with an understanding that we will be working quickly to have a complete ceasefire and, ultimately, an END to this very horrible war between Russia and Ukraine," he wrote in a post on his Truth social network.
Trump added that many elements of "a contract for peace" have been discussed, and "that process is now in full force and effect."
Zelenskyy awaiting details on partial ceasefire agreement before determining response
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he was awaiting more details from Washington before determining their response to the limited ceasefire deal on the table.
"After we get the details from the US president, from the US side, we will give our answer," Zelenksyy told reporters in Finland, adding that the US should act as "guarantors" and "our side will maintain it" as long as Russia sticks to it.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump agreed during a lengthy phone call earlier in the day to an immediate pause in strikes against energy and infrastructure targets in the Ukraine war.
But Putin stopped short of agreeing to a broader ceasefire that the US sought and that called for a halt to fighting for 30 days so a longer ceasefire agreement could be hammered out.
"They are not ready to end this war, and we can see that. They are not ready even for the first step, which is a ceasefire," Zelenkyy said, adding that Putin sought to "weaken" Ukraine.
