After Trump-Putin phone call, Russia launches fresh strikes on Kyiv, US-Ukraine ties tested amid fragile peace negotiations

After US President Donald Trump held peace negotiations and ceasefire talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on phone, air raid alerts were sounded in Kyiv. This followed explosions and blasting sounds in the capital city. The authorities in the capital urged the residents to take cover in shelters calling it a Russian aerial threat, according to news agencies.  

Air raid alert in Kyiv 

After the aerial attack, the Russian ministry of defence in a statement claimed that the Ukrainian army tried to breach border near Kharkiv but the Russian army forced them back. It defended its act and said that said Kyiv made the offensive to paint a “negative background” to the phone call between Trump and Putin. In a post on Telegram, the Russian defence ministry said,  “A total of five attacks were carried out by the enemy during the day,” it also said that the offensive involved around 200 Ukrainian soldiers.  It further said, “No crossing of the state border of the Russian Federation was permitted.” 

Before entering Kharkiv, the Ukrainian army first crossed the Russian border in August 2024 in the Kursk region. Despite this, the opposing forces have been significantly repelled in recent clashes. 

Donald Trump-Vladimir Putin phone call 

In a major development, Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed to cease missile strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure for 30 days after a 90-hour phone call with US President Donald Trump, the While House confirmed. However, this is only a temporary ceasefire not including any long-term agreements as of now. According to the White House, the much-anticipated talks have been an initiative of the US to bring an end to the Ukraine war.  

According to news agencies, the White House also confirmed that the two parties have agreed to hold "technical negotiations" on a maritime ceasefire. Donald Trump has called the talks “good and productive”. He also gives a hope for a “complete ceasefire” and “end to this very horrible war”.  

Putin’s conditions on ‘ceasefire’ 

However, the call did not go without conditions. According to the BBC, while considering the negotiations for peace, Vladimir Putin made it amply clear that the war can only come to an end if Western nations cease to supply military aid and intelligence to Ukraine. “It was emphasised that the key condition for preventing an escalation of the conflict and working towards its resolution through political and diplomatic means should be a complete cessation of foreign military assistance and the provision of intelligence to Kyiv,” the Kremlin said.  

“The Russian side has outlined a number of essential points concerning effective control over a possible ceasefire along the entire contact line and the need to halt both forced mobilisation in Ukraine and the rearmament of the Ukrainian armed forces,” it added. 

However, after the Oval office clash between US and Ukrainian presidents,Trump again held talks with Volodymir Zelensky in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on March 11, 2025, which hinted at Ukraine’s willingness to consider a ceasefire.  

The Trump administration announced that it would resume providing aid and intelligence to Ukraine, which had been suspended after the White House meeting. This decision marked a significant shift in the Trump administration's stance on Ukraine, following widespread criticism of Trump's handling of the meeting with Zelenskyy. 

Trump viewed this development as a crucial move toward ending the conflict, stressing that the ball is now in Russia's court to decide how to proceed.