Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said US President Donald Trump made a personal request to Russian President Vladimir Putin to refrain from striking Kyiv until February 1 to create favourable conditions for negotiations. Peskov confirmed the request but did not specify when it was made or explicitly say whether Putin accepted it. Trump has publicly said Putin agreed.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine would reciprocate if Russia stopped attacking its energy infrastructure, describing the proposal as “an opportunity rather than an agreement.” He clarified there was no formal truce and said the negotiating teams had not reached a compromise on control of parts of eastern Donetsk. Trilateral peace talks brokered by the US were due to continue in Abu Dhabi, but Zelenskyy warned the date and venue could change, citing regional tensions including developments in Iran.
Russia said it would briefly pause strikes on Kyiv amid a severe cold spell. Russian attacks on Ukraine’s power sector in recent months have caused widespread outages, leaving thousands in Kyiv and many across the country without heating and electricity during one of the coldest winters in years. Temperatures in parts of Ukraine have fallen well below freezing, with forecasts of much colder conditions ahead.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and a group of 12 countries warned that repeated strikes on substations and electricity infrastructure are undermining nuclear safety in Ukraine, saying reliable external power is essential for cooling systems. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi warned damage to substations weakens nuclear safety; Russia’s IAEA representative rejected those concerns. An IAEA expert mission to Ukrainian substations and power plants is underway.
Security incidents and attacks continued: the Ukrainian air force reported Russia launched an Iskander-M ballistic missile and 111 strike drones overnight, damaging civilian infrastructure in Zaporizhzhia and Chernihiv regions. Ukraine’s national police said they received over 2,000 bomb threat reports nationwide within a three-hour span; about a third were checked and no explosive devices were found.
European support for Ukraine remained on display: Germany’s Bundesrat passed a resolution pledging continued support, condemning attacks and calling for Russia to cease hostilities; the incoming Dutch government also pledged full financial and military support and said it would press for use of frozen Russian assets. The humanitarian situation remains severe amid power outages and freezing temperatures.