US President Donald Trump could not convince his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on an immediate and full ceasefire in Ukraine as the two leaders held a 90-minute phone conversation on Tuesday. Putin, however, agreed not to target Ukrainian energy infrastructure.

The Russian president refused to sign the deal on a month-long ceasefire that the US finalised with Ukraine in Saudi Arabia earlier this month.

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According to the Kremlin press service, Trump and Putin discussed the potential 30-day ceasefire but the Russian side conveyed that multiple issues need to be resolved before its implementation.

Putin stressed that there is a need to establish “a mechanism to properly monitor a potential ceasefire, as well as stop forced mobilisation and rearmament in Ukraine.”

“Serious risks associated with the Kiev regime’s inability to negotiate, which has repeatedly sabotaged and violated the agreements reached, were also noted,” Russian Today quoted the Kremlin press service as saying.

During the call, Putin also highlighted “the barbaric terrorist crimes committed by Ukrainian militants against the civilian population of Kursk Region.”

In a separate statement, the White House said that Putin agreed to halt attacks on energy sites for 30 days to begin with peace.

“The leaders agreed that the movement to peace will begin with an energy and infrastructure ceasefire, as well as technical negotiations on the implementation of a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea, full ceasefire and permanent peace. These negotiations will begin immediately in the Middle East,” the White House said in a statement.

Moreover, the Russian President also informed Trump about the upcoming prisoner swap with Ukraine.

As part of the deal, both sides will exchange 175 prisoners of war and Russia will also release an additional 30 critically wounded Ukraine soldiers in a goodwill gesture.

Putin told Trump that while he is committed to achieving “lasting peace”, the same will happen when “Russia’s legitimate interests in the area of security” are met and called for “the complete cessation of foreign military aid and the provision of intelligence information to Kiev.”

Shortly after the phone call between Trump and Putin, air raid sirens sounded in Ukraine as explosions were heard across the country.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Putin has effectively rejected the proposal for a full ceasefire and called for continued pressure on Putin for the sake of peace.

“Today, Putin effectively rejected the proposal for a full ceasefire. It would be right for the world to respond by rejecting any attempts by Putin to prolong the war,” Zelensky said.