U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed in a phone call on Tuesday that the peace in Ukraine "will begin with an energy and infrastructure ceasefire, as well as technical negotiations on implementation of a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea, full ceasefire and permanent peace", the White House said in a statement.
"These negotiations will begin immediately in the Middle East", said the statement, noting the two leaders agreed that the three-year Ukraine conflict needs to end with a lasting peace.
Trump and Putin also stressed the need for improved U.S.-Russia bilateral relations, said the statement.
President Putin "responded positively" to a proposal by President Trump for Russia and Ukraine to mutually stop striking energy infrastructures, the Kremlin's press service said Tuesday.
Putin "immediately gave the Russian military the appropriate command" in response to the proposal, the Kremlin said in a statement.
Regarding a 30-day ceasefire plan proposed by the United States and Ukraine, Russia noted concerns over effective control along the entire line of contact and the need to stop "forced mobilization" in Ukraine and its troop rearmament.
Russian and American expert groups are being created to continue efforts to "achieve a bilateral settlement in Ukraine," the Kremlin added.
Russia and Ukraine will each swap 175 prisoners captured in conflicts on Wednesday, the Kremlin said Tuesday, noting that Putin and Trump continued a "detailed and frank" exchange of views on the situation around Ukraine.
Trump, Putin agree Ukraine peace begins with "energy and infrastructure ceasefire"
Putin, Trump hold phone talk
Israel has been ratcheting up the number of settlements and annexation of the occupied West Bank and transferring its own population into the territory which constitutes a breach of international law, according to the United Nations Human Rights Office.
Thameen Al-Kheetan, spokesman for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, presented a report by the UN Human Rights Office on Tuesday that outlined the ongoing transfer of powers over the Occupied Palestinian Territory from the Israeli military to the government.
According to the report, based on research between Nov 1, 2023 and Oct 31, 2024, there had been a "significant" expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
"The Government of Israel has been increasing the number of settlements in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, transferring its own population into the territory and unlawfully demolishing Palestinian homes. At the same time settler violence has increased with continued impunity," said Al-Kheetan.
The report also refers to plans to construct over 20,000 housing units in new or existing Israeli settlements in East Jerusalem alone, according to Israeli non-governmental organizations.
In East Jerusalem, 214 Palestinian properties and structures have been demolished. Over 10,300 units within existing Israeli settlements in the rest of the West Bank are in the pipeline, and an unprecedented 49 new Israeli outposts have been established, according to the report.
"The Israeli government is facilitating the advancement of settlements in the West Bank, and the steady integration of this occupied territory into the State of Israel, the report finds. Israel's settlement policy, its acts of annexation, and related discriminatory legislation and measures are in breach of international law, and violate Palestinians' right to self-determination," said Al-Kheetan.
The spokesman added that the transfer by Israel of parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies amounts to a war crime.
Israel expands illegal settlements, annexation of West Bank: UN report
