Ukraine-Russia Conflict: Truce and Prisoner Swap

US President Donald Trump claims that Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed not to attack Ukraine's capital Kyiv and other parts of the country for a week due to 'extraordinary cold' weather. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the move, but Russia has not confirmed the agreement. Ukraine's Air Force reported that four regions near the frontline were targeted by 80 Russian drones and a ballistic missile on Friday. The alleged agreement comes after trilateral talks between Russian, Ukrainian, and US negotiators in the United Arab Emirates.

Ukraine has received the bodies of 1,000 soldiers from Russia in the latest exchange between the two warring countries. Russia received 38 bodies in return. The exchange took place under an agreement reached during negotiations in Istanbul in 2025, which aimed to return the bodies of 12,000 soldiers. The latest development comes as efforts to broker a peace deal continue, with Russian, Ukrainian, and US negotiators meeting in the United Arab Emirates last week. Despite ongoing negotiations, both sides continue to exchange drone attacks, with at least five people killed in Ukraine's Kharkiv region on Tuesday after a Russian drone struck a passenger train.

US President Donald Trump claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to a week-long pause in attacks on major Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv, amid plummeting winter temperatures. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked Trump, stating that a temporary halt could help protect Ukraine's critical energy infrastructure. However, Russia has not publicly confirmed the agreement, and Ukraine's Air Force reported that Russia fired missiles and drones at targets across the country on Friday. Previous attempts at a temporary truce between Russia and Ukraine have failed, and the status of peace talks remains uncertain.