New Delhi, Jan. 31 -- U.S. President Donald Trump says President Vladimir Putin has agreed to temporarily halt the targeting of the Ukrainian capital and other towns as the region suffers under bitterly cold temperatures.

The Kremlin confirmed Friday it agreed to hold off striking Kyiv until Sunday, but refused to reveal any details, making it difficult for an independent assessment of whether the conciliatory step had indeed taken place.

In the past week, Russia has struck energy assets in the southern Ukrainian city of Odesa and in Kharkiv in the northeast. It also hit the Kyiv region on Wednesday, killing two people and injuring four.

Trump said Thursday that Putin had agreed to the temporary pause amid the freezing temperatures tha...