President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke on Wednesday about a high partial fire of energy infrastructure amid broader efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war.
His conversation occurred a day after Trump could not persuade the Vladimir Putin of Russia to sign the high the total fire proposed by the United States and backed by Ukraine, although Putin said he agreed to stop attacks in energy sites.
Trump, “Zelenskyy completely informed” about his discussion with Putin, according to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the National Security Advisor of the National House Michael Waltz.
“The two leaders also agreed to high the partial fire against energy. The technical teams will meet in Saudi Arabia in the next few days to discuss expanding the high fire to the black sea on the road to a high fire,” said Rubio and Waltz. “They agreed that this could be the first step towards the complete end of the war and guarantee security.”
Zelenskyy said in his own statement after the one -hour call that Ukraine was ready to stop energy attacks once the details are resolved.
“I supported this step, and Ukraine confirmed that we are ready to implement it,” Zelenskyy wrote, adding that US and Ukrainian officials discussed this issue in Jeddah last week.
“We instructed our teams to solve technical problems related to the implementation and expansion of the high partial fire,” he added. “The Ukrainian and American teams are ready to meet in Saudi Arabia in the next few days to continue coordinating the steps towards peace.”
The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, listens while the Finnish president addresses his joint press conference at the presidential palace in Helsinki, on March 19, 2025.
Heikki Saukkomaa/Magazine/AFP through Getty Images
Zelenskyy said he is preparing a list that Ukraine will share “our partners” on which facilities and objectives will be outside the limits to attack in a possible agreement between Russia and Ukraine.
But the Ukrainian leader also expressed skepticism on Wednesday that Russia would maintain its end of any agreement.
“Only guarantees and only Putin’s words that orders not to attack energy facilities, that is not enough. Why? Because, unfortunately, this war has made us very practical people,” Zelenskyy said.
“If the Russians do not attack our facilities, we will certainly not hit their own,” Zelenskyy said.
Russia and Ukraine continued exchanging strikes during the night after Trump’s conversation with Putin. The Ukrainian authorities reported attacks on a hospital and damage to a gas pipe, while Moscow said Ukraine hit an oil tank installation. Although Kremlin said Wednesday that Russia neutralized seven of its own drones by carrying out attacks against Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
Wednesday’s call was the first between Trump and Zelenskyy since his Oval office clash last month, in which Trump accused the Ukrainian leader of not being ready for peace and not having any cards in negotiations.
After tense weather, the Trump administration cut military assistance and the exchange of intelligence to Kyiv. However, these tools were reinstated after Ukraine agreed a 30 -day truce during conversations with senior US officials in Saudi Arabia last week.
Both Trump and Zelenskyy gave a more cordial tone after Wednesday’s conversation. Trump wrote in Truth Social that it was a “very good.” Zelenskyy said he had a “positive, very substantive and frank conversation” with Trump.
In addition, the White House said Wednesday that the United States would help Ukraine acquire additional air defense systems, “particularly in Europe.”
The press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, was also asked if the exchange of intelligence with kyiv would continue, after Tuesday’s Kremlin said that a key condition to finish the war should be the United States and allies completely stop military and intelligence assistance to Ukraine.
“The exchange of intelligence, and in terms of defense for Ukraine, will continue to be shared,” Leavitt said.
Ellie Kaufman and David Brennan of ABC News contributed to this report.
