Ukraine races to bolster air defenses as Putin’s strike pause nears end

Ukraine is racing to reenforce its aerial defenses arsenic a little intermission successful Russian strikes connected Kyiv and different cities approaches its expiration, with subject and diplomatic experts informing the determination whitethorn bash small to alteration conditions connected the battlefield and could yet fortify Moscow’s negotiating position.

Earlier Friday, President Donald Trump said astatine the White House, "I deliberation we’re getting precise adjacent to getting a settlement," expressing optimism astir the upcoming Russia-Ukraine talks. "Zelenskyy and Putin hatred each other, and it makes it precise difficult, but I deliberation we person a bully accidental of getting it settled."

The Kremlin said President Vladimir Putin agreed to a idiosyncratic petition from Trump to halt airstrikes connected Kyiv until February 1 successful bid to make what it described arsenic favorable conditions for negotiations. Ukrainian officials stressed determination is nary ceremonial ceasefire.

TRUMP SAYS PUTIN AGREED TO HALT KYIV STRIKES FOR ONE WEEK AMID BRUTAL COLD

Veterans of Ukraine’s 3rd Separate Assault Brigade service escaped blistery meals to residents without energy successful a residential country of Kyiv connected Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026. (Danylo Antoniuk/AP)

As temperatures successful Kyiv are expected to plunge to minus 26 degrees Celsius opening Sunday, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine is moving to fortify short-range aerial defenses against drones to support frontline cities successful the southbound and northeast.

"Protection against Russian drones indispensable beryllium reinforced successful our cities, specified arsenic Kherson and Nikopol, arsenic good arsenic successful the borderline communities of the Sumy region, wherever the Russians person fundamentally acceptable up an ongoing ‘safari’ against civilians," Zelenskyy said connected Telegram.

Firefighters enactment astatine the tract of a backstage endeavor deed by an overnight Russian rocket strike, amid Russia's onslaught connected Ukraine, successful Kharkiv, Ukraine, Jan. 30, 2026. Press work of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine successful Kharkiv region (Reuters)

Despite the pause, Russian lawmakers and determination leaders person publically urged escalation. Russian parliament talker Vyacheslav Volodin said deputies are calling for the usage of much almighty "weapons of retribution," portion Chechen person Ramzan Kadyrov said helium opposed negotiations altogether.

Against that backdrop, experts told Fox News Digital the intermission appears acold much symbolic than transformative.

Vice Adm. Robert S. Harward (Ret.), a erstwhile Navy SEAL and lawman commandant of U.S. Central Command, said the halt successful strikes reflects governmental signaling alternatively than a subject shift.

PUTIN CALLS TRUMP’S PEACE PLAN A ‘STARTING POINT’ AS HE WARNS UKRAINE TO PULL BACK OR FACE 'FORCE'

Icicles bent from balconies astatine an flat artifact damaged by a drone onslaught successful Kharkiv, Ukraine, connected Jan. 24, 2026. (Viacheslav Madiievskyi/Ukrinform/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

"It’s symbolic successful the consciousness of the dialog and wherever we are successful the negotiations," Harward told Fox News Digital. "President Trump wants to exemplify to the U.S. that his narration with Putin delivers results. This is simply a validation of that relationship, which could beryllium an indicator of wherever the wide negotiations are connected ending the war."

Carrie Filipetti, enforcement manager of the Vandenberg Coalition and a erstwhile elder State Department and U.S. Mission to the United Nations official, said Russia’s statement should not beryllium misread arsenic a determination toward peace.

"While I americium definite that Ukrainian civilians invited immoderate little pause, they besides aren’t holding their enactment due to the fact that Putin’s warfare instrumentality volition not halt until his calculus is changed connected the risks of continuing his war," Filipetti said.

TRUMP TOUTS 'TREMENDOUS PROGRESS' BUT SAYS HE'LL MEET PUTIN AND ZELENSKYY 'ONLY WHEN' PEACE DEAL IS FINAL

This photograph taken connected Jan. 23, 2024 shows graves, astir of which are of the victims killed during the Russian onslaught past twelvemonth connected a store and café successful Groza village, astatine the cemetery successful Groza, Kharkiv region, amid the Russian penetration of Ukraine. (Roman Pilipey/AFP via Getty Images)

She added that the abbreviated duration of the intermission leaves Ukraine exposed.

"Given however abbreviated the intermission is and the duplicity of Russia saying it agreed to a week-long intermission that expires successful 2 days, this does not meaningfully alteration immoderate conditions connected the battlefield," she said.

Harward said Ukraine could look diplomatic consequences erstwhile the intermission expires.

"The hazard to Ukraine is that this further weakens and isolates their relation and presumption successful the negotiations," helium said.

Zelenskyy has besides warned that Ukraine’s quality to support civilians has been strained by delays successful Western funding. He said European allies delayed payments nether the PURL weapons acquisition program, leaving Ukraine without Patriot aerial defence missiles up of caller Russian strikes that knocked retired powerfulness crossed parts of Kyiv.

Russian President Vladimir Putin visits the destroyer Vice-Admiral Kulakov astatine the Naval Base of Black Sea Fleet connected Sept. 23, 2014 successful Novorossiysk, Russia. Putin is connected a one-day sojourn to caller Russian Military Naval Base of Black Sea Fleet successful Novorossiysk. (Photo by Sasha Mordovets/Getty Images)

"This is simply a captious contented for protecting civilians and Ukrainian cities and Ukraine’s vigor infrastructure during the brutally acold wintertime months," Filipetti said. "As President Zelenskyy has said, determination volition beryllium nary energy and truthful nary vigor for civilians if they don’t person capable Patriot missiles to support against Russia’s ballistic missiles."

Harward noted that the occupation extends beyond Ukraine. "Air Defense has been successful precocious request globally, considering the threats from Russia and the China," helium said. "Resources, expenses, and the accrued clip to present and instrumentality the capabilities adhd to the challenge."

On whether the intermission could unfastened the doorway to broader de-escalation, some experts expressed caution.

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U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky shingle hands astatine a quality league pursuing a gathering astatine Trump’s Mar-a-Lago nine connected December 28, 2025 successful Palm Beach, Florida. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

"This tactical intermission lone serves to reenforce Russia’s negotiating position," Harward said. "Putin is showing the world that helium is consenting to perceive and respond, successful instrumentality he’ll privation much enactment of his presumption and demands."

"Only clip volition tell," Filipetti said. "Diplomacy tin ever look fruitless until determination is simply a existent deal. If this abbreviated pause, delivered by President Trump's continued engagement and unit connected Putin, tin beryllium utilized to physique further advancement successful the trilateral talks, that would beryllium a precise affirmative outcome."

Reuters contributed to this report.