Key facts
- A ceasefire in Oleshky began Tuesday and is set to last until Sunday.
- Up to 2,000 civilians are trapped in Oleshky with limited food supplies.
- Finnish and Norwegian leaders held a direct call with Putin regarding the Ukraine war.
- Russia launched drone and missile attacks on Kyiv overnight, killing at least one person.
- Russia's peace terms include control of the entire Donbas region and parts of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia provinces.
A localized ceasefire in the Russian-occupied Ukrainian city of Oleshky appeared to be holding on Tuesday, with officials stating it would last until Sunday. The truce is intended to allow for the evacuation of approximately 2,000 civilians trapped in the city, which has been under a complete blockade by Russia since May. Meanwhile, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre held a direct phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss efforts to end the war in Ukraine, though significant differences remain.
The call between the Nordic leaders and Putin is reportedly linked to upcoming trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi involving Russia, Ukraine, and the US. The White House stated that the humanitarian mission and evacuation efforts were requested by First Lady Melania Trump. The ceasefire in Oleshky does not extend to other parts of Ukraine, as Russia continued to bombard Kyiv with drones and missiles overnight, killing at least one person.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed European attempts to end the war and was briefed on the call with Putin. However, Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen criticized the independent initiative by Norway and Finland, expressing skepticism about Russia's desire for peace. Putin has previously stated his willingness to resume negotiations on Russia's hardline terms, which include territorial demands.