President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy discussed a partial ceasefire on energy infrastructure on Wednesday as part of broader efforts to resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The conversation followed Trump’s unsuccessful attempt to secure a 30-day total ceasefire with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who agreed to halt attacks on energy sites. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and White House national security adviser Michael Waltz confirmed that Trump briefed Zelenskyy on his discussion with Putin. The two leaders agreed on a partial energy ceasefire and technical teams will meet in Saudi Arabia to explore expanding it to the Black Sea region as a step towards achieving a full ceasefire and ensuring security. Zelenskyy expressed readiness to halt energy attacks pending further discussions, and both Ukrainian and American officials are set to meet in Saudi Arabia to coordinate steps towards peace. Zelenskyy acknowledged the practical challenges of implementing any agreement with Russia, emphasizing the need for concrete actions rather than just assurances. Despite ongoing hostilities between Russia and Ukraine, Wednesday’s call marked a more positive exchange between Trump and Zelenskyy following previous tensions and a temporary suspension of military aid from the US to Ukraine. Trump described the call as “very good” on his social media platform, Truth Social.
President Zelenskyy expressed that he and Trump had a positive and productive conversation. In addition, the White House announced that the U.S. would assist Ukraine in acquiring more air defense systems, specifically in Europe. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that intelligence sharing with Kyiv would persist, despite the Kremlin’s statement that military and intelligence support to Ukraine must cease as a condition for ending the war. Leavitt stated, “Intelligence sharing and defense support for Ukraine will continue to be shared.” This report includes contributions from ABC News’ Ellie Kaufman and David Brennan. Zelenskyy emphasizes that Putin’s words alone are insufficient as he discusses an energy ceasefire with Trump.
