Zelenskyy agrees to ceasefire on energy and infrastructure after call with Trump

U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke by phone on Wednesday, discussing ceasefire efforts and the next steps in negotiations following Trump’s recent conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Trump described the call as “very good,” stating that much of the discussion focused on aligning Ukraine and Russia on their requests and needs after his conversation with Putin on Tuesday.

“We are very much on track, and I will ask Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, to give an accurate description of the points discussed,” Trump said in a social media post, adding that a statement with the points discussed during the call will be released shortly.

Zelenskyy called the conversation “positive, very substantive, and frank,” thanking Trump for his role in advancing talks between Ukraine and the U.S. in Jeddah on March 11. He said the discussions had helped move toward ending the war and that Ukraine was committed to working with the U.S. to achieve lasting peace.

“We believe that together with America, with President Trump, and under American leadership, lasting peace can be achieved this year,” Zelenskyy said.

During the call, Zelenskyy confirmed that Ukraine had agreed to a ceasefire on energy and civilian infrastructure, calling it one of the first steps toward ending the war. “One of the first steps toward fully ending the war could be ending strikes on energy and other civilian infrastructure. I supported this step, and Ukraine confirmed that we are ready to implement it,” he said.

Zelenskyy added that the American side had also proposed an unconditional ceasefire on the frontline, which Ukraine accepted. “We will continue working to make this happen.”

Zelenskyy provided an update on the battlefield situation and the impact of Russian strikes, including discussions on the Kursk region, the release of prisoners of war, and the return of Ukrainian children taken by Russian forces. He also addressed the state of Ukraine’s air defense and the possibility of strengthening it.

Both leaders agreed that technical issues surrounding the partial ceasefire should be resolved quickly, with Ukrainian and American teams “ready” to meet again in Saudi Arabia in the coming days to continue negotiations.

Zelenskyy named Rubio, Waltz, Kellogg, Yermak, Sybiha, Umerov, and Palisa as key advisors who would be involved in further meetings to finalize necessary aspects of the ceasefire and security guarantees.

The conversation follows Trump’s Tuesday call with Putin, during which the Russian president agreed to a 30-day halt in attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure but insisted that a full ceasefire would require halting Western military aid to Ukraine. The U.S. and Russia agreed to hold further talks in Jeddah on Sunday, with diplomatic envoys preparing for negotiations.