Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy agreed to a proposal to a mutual cease-fire on the targeting of energy infrastructure as a first step towards President Donald Trump’s attempt to end the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. “One of the first steps toward fully ending the war could be ending strikes on energy and other civilian infrastructure,” Zelenskyy told an X statement after speaking with Trump on Wednesday. “I supported this step, and Ukraine confirmed that we are ready to implement it.”
Trump, who had been contentious in their previous exchanges with Zelenskyy, declared their call “very good,” and senior American officials called it “fantastic.” Trump, who at one time suspended arms deliveries and intelligence sharing to Ukraine, pledged new aid, according to a readout of the call from Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz.
Zelenskyy “asked for additional air defense systems to protect his civilians, namely Patriot missile systems,” and “President Trump said he would work with him to find out what was available particularly in Europe,” they said.
The Russian backing of the proposal for a ceasefire in Ukraine was made the day following Trump’s friendly telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who welcomed the proposal for a pause in attacks on energy targets but gave no signal that he’s dropped his insistence that Trump’s proposed ceasefire be tied to the suspension of weapons and intelligence aid to Ukraine and that Russia hold onto land it has taken during the war.
