Zelensky denies pressure on Russia concessions in call Trump calls ‘very good’
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on Wednesday that he has not been pressured by U.S. President Donald Trump to make any concessions to Russia during discussions aimed at ending the ongoing invasion. Speaking to reporters after his call with Trump who had earlier discussed his conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin Zelensky emphasized that he felt no such pressure.
Before the conversation, Zelensky warned against giving in to Russian demands, especially following Putin’s call for a halt to Western aid. Trump, in his remarks, described his discussion with Zelensky as “very good” and highlighted that it occurred just a day after Putin temporarily paused attacks on Kyiv’s power plants. Nonetheless, Trump admitted that achieving a complete ceasefire in the conflict, which has persisted for three years, remains a work in progress.
In what he described as a candid conversation, Zelensky added that Ukraine is prepared to halt strikes on both Russian energy and civilian targets if needed.
Details of the Trump-Zelensky Call
Trump mentioned that he spoke with President Zelensky for about an hour—marking their first conversation since a recent heated televised exchange in the Oval Office. He noted that much of their discussion built on the previous day’s call with President Putin, aimed at aligning the needs and demands of Russia and Ukraine. Trump assured his followers on Truth Social that progress is being made.
During the call, according to the White House, Trump floated the idea of U.S. “ownership” of Ukrainian power plants, suggesting that American control would offer the best protection. Trump, who previously secured preferential access for the United States to Ukraine’s strategic mineral resources, also promised to help Ukraine obtain additional air defense systems from European allies.
Status of the Proposed 30-Day Ceasefire
While Ukraine has agreed to a U.S.-backed proposal for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire with Russia, Moscow has yet to endorse the plan. In recent discussions, Putin maintained that a complete ceasefire could only be achieved if the West stopped its multi-billion-dollar military aid to Kyiv—a demand that has long been Moscow’s stance. Additionally, Putin insisted that Ukraine should refrain from rearming and halt its mandatory mobilization.
Both nations have agreed to pause attacks on power plants, yet accusations of ceasefire violations have flown from both sides. Ukraine’s defense ministry reported that a barrage of Russian missiles and drones hit overnight, causing casualties and damaging hospitals. Zelensky confirmed that Putin’s stance effectively dismissed the possibility of a full ceasefire at this time. Furthermore, Ukraine’s national railway service said that strikes also hit railway energy infrastructure in the Dnipropetrovsk region.
Meanwhile, Russia’s defense ministry accused Ukraine of a “deliberate” assault on an oil depot in southern Russia, arguing that such actions undermined Trump’s mediation efforts. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov criticized the attacks as counterproductive to the joint attempts to end the conflict.
In a brief moment of goodwill amidst the hostilities, Russia and Ukraine exchanged 372 prisoners on Wednesday.
In Washington, U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff announced that technical talks to potentially end the war are set to begin in Saudi Arabia on Monday. He expressed optimism that a ceasefire deal might be reached within a few weeks and hinted at a possible meeting between Trump and Putin in the kingdom, though no timeline was provided.