Zelensky says lasting peace achievable this yr after he and Trump hail ‘optimistic’ name

US President Donald Trump has held what he described as a “superb” hour-long telephone name along with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky, a day after talking to Russia’s President Vladimir Putin.

Zelensky mentioned afterwards that he believed that “lasting peace might be achieved this yr” below Trump’s management.

Additionally they mentioned attainable US possession of the Russian-held Zaporizhzhia energy plant, Zelensky mentioned.

The apparently cordial temper of the dialog is in marked distinction to Zelensky’s go to to the White Home final month, during which the 2 leaders – together with US Vice-President JD Vance – have been concerned in a tense alternate.

Wednesday marked the primary time the 2 males have spoken for the reason that assembly within the Oval Workplace – though since then, their groups have met in Saudi Arabia and negotiated a proposed 30-day ceasefire.

Whereas it’s backed by Ukraine and the US, Putin rejected the proposal for a widespread pause within the battle throughout his telephone name with the US president on Tuesday.

Throughout his dialog with Donald Trump, Zelensky mentioned he was open to a partial ceasefire involving a halt on strikes on vitality infrastructure, rail and port amenities that could possibly be established shortly – however the Ukrainian president warned his nation would retaliate if Moscow violated the phrases of the ceasefire.

“I perceive that till we agree (with Russia), till there’s a corresponding doc on even a partial ceasefire, I feel that every little thing will fly,” he mentioned, referring to drones and missiles.

Writing on his social media platform Fact Social, Trump mentioned the decision was geared toward aligning Ukraine and Russia “by way of their requests and desires”, including that ceasefire efforts have been on monitor.

Later, in a extra detailed assertion, Secretary of State Marco Rubio mentioned Trump had agreed to assist Ukraine supply extra air defence programs, significantly in Europe.

The 2 leaders “agreed to share info carefully between their defence staffs because the battlefield state of affairs developed”, he mentioned.

The developments will come as a aid for Zelensky, who described his dialog with Trump as “optimistic”, “frank”, and “very substantive”, throughout a web based briefing to journalists on Wednesday.

“We imagine that along with America, with President Trump, and below American management, lasting peace might be achieved this yr,” he wrote on X.

Through the video name with reporters, Zelensky mentioned he believed Putin wouldn’t comply with a full ceasefire whereas Ukrainian troops remained in Russia’s western Kursk area, after Kyiv launched a shock assault on the area in August final yr.

Each Zelensky and Putin have mentioned they’d comply with halt assaults on vitality infrastructure. Nonetheless, each have since accused one another of continued assaults.

Trump mentioned Wednesday’s name with Zelensky lasted about an hour.

“A lot of the dialogue was primarily based on the decision made yesterday with President Putin as a way to align each Russia and Ukraine by way of their requests and desires,” he wrote on Fact Social.

Technical groups from Ukraine and the US are anticipated to now meet in Saudi Arabia within the coming days.

Within the White Home final month, Trump instructed Zelensky he was not grateful sufficient for US army and political help, and that he was “playing with World Struggle Three”.

The US briefly then suspended army support and intelligence sharing with Ukraine, however diplomats have been capable of enhance relations and on 11 March the 2 sides agreed on a ceasefire.

Throughout his name with Trump on Tuesday, Putin agreed to halt Russian assaults on Ukraine’s vitality infrastructure.

However he mentioned a full ceasefire would solely work if Ukraine’s supporters stopped giving army help – a situation Kyiv’s European allies have beforehand rejected.

Hours later each Ukraine and Russia launched assaults, with Kyiv saying hospitals had been focused.

Officers within the southern Russian area of Krasnodar mentioned {that a} Ukrainian drone assault sparked a small hearth at an oil depot.

Regardless of the strikes, Kyiv and Moscow carried out an alternate of prisoners on Wednesday. Either side launched 175 POWs.

Zelensky described the swap as “one of many largest”, including that Russia included an additional 22 “severely wounded” troopers.