Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday agreed to pause attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure for 30 days, during a telephone conversation with his United States counterpart Donald Trump.

However, Putin did not support the 30-day ceasefire proposal that the Trump administration was pushing to quickly end hostilities between Kyiv and Moscow.

On March 11, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv was ready for a 30-day ceasefire, but added that it was up to Washington to convince Moscow to do the same.

Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, which triggered the deadliest conflict in Europe since World War II.

During their conversation on Tuesday, Trump and Putin agreed that Russia’s war on Ukraine “needs to end with a lasting peace”, said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.

“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,” Leavitt stated.

The talks will begin immediately in West Asia, she added.

Further, Leavitt said that the two leaders had also “stressed the need for improved bilateral relations between the United States and Russia”.

Trump said on Tuesday that his talks with Putin were “very good and productive”.

“Many elements of a Contract for Peace were discussed, including the fact that thousands of soldiers are being killed, and both President Putin and President Zelenskyy would like to see it end,” the US president said on the social media platform Truth Social. “That process is now in full force and effect, and we will, hopefully, for the sake of Humanity, get the job done!”

Putin reiterated to Trump that the solution to the conflict must take into consideration “the absolute necessity of removing the root causes of the crisis, and legitimate Russian security interests”, Russian state-backed news agency TASS quoted the Kremlin press service as saying.

Following Trump and Putin’s talks, Zelenskyy said that Ukraine supported the idea of both sides pausing attacks on each other’s energy infrastructure, The Guardian reported. However, the Ukrainian president said that he was waiting for details of what Russia had agreed to.

On March 4, Zelenskyy said that he was ready to work under Trump’s “strong leadership” to end the war with Russia.

He had added that Kyiv was also ready to sign an agreement on minerals and security with Washington. This controversial deal will give the US access to Ukraine’s rare earth minerals.

Zelenskyy’s statement had come four days after Trump accused him of “gambling with World War III” during a public confrontation at the White House. Trump had told Zelenskyy to come back for talks “when he is ready for peace”.

The tense meeting led to the collapse of the minerals deal between the two nations and had created uncertainty about American military support for Ukraine amid the war with Russia.

However, the Trump administration lifted its suspension of intelligence sharing and military aid for Ukraine on March 11 after Zelenskyy agreed to the 30-day ceasefire.

Also read: Understanding the Trump-Zelensky faceoff: A fraught minerals deal with vague US commitments