MARCH 19, 2025
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy listens as the Finnish President addresses their joint press conference at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki, Mar. 19, 2025. – Heikki Saukkomaa/Lehtikuva/AFP via Getty Images
President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke on Wednesday about a partial ceasefire on energy infrastructure amid broader efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war.
Their conversation came one day after Trump failed to persuade Russia’s Vladimir Putin to sign on to the 30-day total ceasefire proposed by the U.S. and backed by Ukraine, though Putin said he agreed to pausing attacks on energy sites.
Trump “fully briefed” Zelenskyy on his discussion with Putin, according to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and White House national security adviser Michael Waltz.
“The two leaders also agreed on a partial ceasefire against energy. Technical teams will meet in Saudi Arabia in the coming days to discuss broadening the ceasefire to the Black Sea on the way to a full ceasefire,” Rubio and Waltz said. “They agreed this could be the first step toward the full end of the war and ensuring security.”
Zelenskyy said in his own statement following the hourlong call that Ukraine was ready to halt energy attacks once details are ironed out.
“I supported this step, and Ukraine confirmed that we are ready to implement it,” Zelenskyy wrote, adding that U.S. and Ukrainian officials discussed this issue in Jeddah last week.
“We instructed our teams to resolve technical issues related to implementing and expanding the partial ceasefire,” he added. “Ukrainian and American teams are ready to meet in Saudi Arabia in the coming days to continue coordinating steps toward peace.”
Zelenskyy said he is preparing a list that Ukraine will share “to our partners” on what facilities and targets will be off-limits to attack in a potential agreement between Russia and Ukraine.
But the Ukrainian leader also expressed skepticism on Wednesday that Russia would hold up its end of any agreement.
“Just assurances and only Putin’s words that he orders not to strike energy facilities — that is not enough. Why? Because, unfortunately, this war has made us very practical people,” Zelenskyy said.
“If the Russians do not strike our facilities, we will certainly not strike theirs,” Zelenskyy said.
Russia and Ukraine continued to trade strikes overnight after Trump’s conversation with Putin. Ukrainian authorities reported attacks on a hospital and damage to a gas pipeline, while Moscow said Ukraine struck an oil depot facility. Though the Kremlin claimed on Wednesday that Russia neutralized seven of its own drones from carrying out attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
Wednesday’s call was the first between Trump and Zelenskyy since their Oval Office clash last month, in which Trump accused the Ukrainian leader of not being ready for peace and not holding any cards in negotiations.
Following the tense exchange, the Trump administration cut off military assistance and some intelligence sharing to Kyiv. Those tools, however, were reinstated after Ukraine agreed to a 30-day truce during talks with top U.S. officials in Saudi Arabia last week.
Both Trump and Zelenskyy struck a more cordial tone after Wednesday’s conversation. Trump wrote on Truth Social that it was a “very good” call. Zelenskyy said he had a “positive, very substantive and frank conversation” with Trump.
Plus, the White House said Wednesday the U.S. would help Ukraine acquire additional air defense systems, “particularly in Europe.”
Press secretary Karoline Leavitt was also asked if intelligence sharing with Kyiv would continue, after the Kremlin on Tuesday said a key condition to ending the war should be the U.S. and allies completely stopping military and intelligence assistance to Ukraine.
“Intelligence sharing, and in terms of defense for Ukraine, will continue to be shared,” Leavitt said.
Courtesy/Source: ABC News
