So, the lights stayed on for a few days. Wow. Let’s all give a round of applause to the masters of the universe. It turns out that the **war in Ukraine** has a pause button. Who knew? Apparently, all it takes is a phone call regarding the **Trump-Putin energy ceasefire**, and suddenly the missiles stay in their silos. At least, for a weekend.

But don't get too comfortable. Don't go thinking that a permanent **Ukraine peace deal** has actually broken out. The Kremlin has already made it clear. This little break? This tiny moment of mercy? It has an expiration date. It expires on Sunday. Like a coupon for a discount sandwich that you forgot in your wallet. Sunday is the cutoff. After that, we go back to the regular scheduled programming of destruction.

Think about how absolutely sick that is. Really sit with it for a minute.

We are told that war is this big, complex, unstoppable force. We are told that it is about history and land and freedom. But this story proves that is all a load of garbage. This proves that the bombs falling on the **Ukraine energy grid** are just chips on a poker table. They are just bargaining tools. These guys—Trump, Putin, all of them—they are just trading dates on a calendar.

Trump thinks he is the big hero here. You can see it in the way the story is spun. He picked up the phone. He used his famous charm. He asked his buddy Vlad to take it easy on the energy grid. "Hey, don't freeze them out just yet, okay? Do it for me." That is how he operates. It is not about saving lives. It is about his ego. He wants to be the guy who stopped the bad thing. He wants the credit. He wants to walk into a room and have everyone say, "Thank you, sir, for the electricity."

But he didn't stop it. He just delayed it. He bought a few days. That isn't a peace deal. That is a commercial break. It is halftime at the Super Bowl, and the players are just catching their breath before they go back to smashing into each other.

And look at Putin. The guy on the other side of the line. Do you think he agreed to this **temporary truce** because he is a nice guy? Do you think his heart suddenly grew three sizes? Please. He is playing a game. He is the cat, and the rest of the world is the mouse. He agreed to the pause because it makes him look powerful. It shows that he can turn the violence off whenever he wants. And that means he can turn it back on whenever he wants.

By setting a deadline of Sunday, the Kremlin is laughing at everyone. They are saying, "Okay, you can have your lights for the weekend. Enjoy it. Because on Monday, we are coming back." It is cruel. It is psychological torture. Imagine living in a city where you know the safety expires in 48 hours. You aren't relieved. You are terrified. You are just watching the clock tick. Tick, tick, tick. Waiting for the deal to run out.

Both sides of the political aisle are going to be stupid about this. The Right is going to say Trump is a genius who can control dictators with a whisper. The Left is going to scream that Trump is colluding with the enemy. They are both missing the point. They are both blind.

The point is that our entire world is run by a handful of rich, bored men who treat human suffering like a transaction. The point is that they proved the war is a choice. Every single day the fighting continues, it is a choice they are making. They could extend the deadline. They could make the pause last forever. But they won't. Because peace doesn't make headlines. Peace doesn't give them leverage.

It is all just a show. It is theater. Trump gets to look like a dealmaker. Putin gets to look like a benevolent czar who grants favors. And the people on the ground? The ones actually freezing? They are just extras in the movie. They don't matter. Their comfort is just a bargaining chip to be traded back and forth.

So, get ready for Sunday. Get ready for the excuse. The Kremlin will say the time is up. Trump will say he tried his best. And the missiles will fly again. And everyone will act surprised. They shouldn't be. This is how the world works now. It is all temporary. It is all a hustle. And if you think any of these politicians actually care if your lights stay on, you are the biggest fool of all.

***

### References & Fact-Check * **Event Context**: Following diplomatic engagement by Donald Trump, Russia instituted a temporary ceasefire targeting Ukraine's energy infrastructure. The Kremlin has confirmed this pause is temporary and set to expire. * **Original Report**: [Russia reveals Ukraine energy ceasefire pushed by Trump is nearly over](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2026/01/30/ukraine-russia-trump-energy-ceasefire/) (Washington Post)