UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has characterized Russia’s assaults on Ukraine’s energy sector, which occurred on Monday night as temperatures plummeted to -20°C (-4°F), as both “barbaric” and “particularly depraved.”
These statements followed a conversation between Starmer and US President Donald Trump. The attacks targeted power plants and critical infrastructure in the capital, Kyiv, and other locations. This escalation resumed after a week-long hiatus, a pause that Trump had reportedly requested Russian President Vladimir Putin to observe amidst a severe cold snap gripping Ukraine.
Speaking on Tuesday, Trump indicated that Putin had “kept his word” and expressed a desire for an end to the conflict. Senior US envoys are scheduled to convene with negotiators from Russia and Ukraine in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday and Thursday.
When questioned by journalists about his reaction to Russia’s renewed strikes, Trump commented on the cessation period. “It was on Sunday, and he [Putin] went from Sunday to Sunday,” Trump stated. “It’s a lot, you know, one week, we’ll take anything, because it’s really, really cold over there.”
The impact of the recent strikes was substantial. Over a thousand tower blocks in Kyiv lost heating, and a power plant situated in the eastern city of Kharkiv was rendered beyond repair.
In response to the disruptions, residents sought refuge in metro stations overnight. Some established tents on the platforms to shield themselves from the harsh, freezing conditions. Authorities have been actively establishing warming centers across Kyiv for its residents. Additionally, more generators are being imported to manage prolonged periods of power outages while engineers work on repairing the extensive damage.
Ukraine has consistently voiced concerns about a deficit in missile supplies, urging its allies to provide further assistance. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte visited Kyiv shortly after the attacks and reportedly appealed to member countries to “dig deep in their stockpiles” to supply Ukraine with the necessary missiles.
President Trump has been spearheading diplomatic efforts aimed at concluding the war. However, his Russian counterpart has declined appeals for a ceasefire.
US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who is also Trump’s son-in-law, are engaged in discussions with Russian and Ukrainian negotiation teams. Their objective is to finalize the US-proposed peace accord.
A central point of contention in these negotiations involves Russia’s demands for Ukraine to relinquish control over the remaining territory within the eastern industrial region of Donbas that Moscow does not currently occupy.
Recent Russian advances in this area have been limited. Russia initiated a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.