Zelensky to dial Donald Trump after US President’s call with Putin, warns against concessions to Moscow

After Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed on Tuesday to temporarily halt attacks on Ukrainian energy facilities, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced he would speak with US President Donald Trump on Wednesday, March 19.

"I really want there to be control. But I believe that the main agent of this control should be the United States of America," Reuters quoted Zelensky as saying, mentioning that Kyiv would be ready to commit to a ceasefire. “If the Russians will not strike our facilities, then we will definitely not strike theirs,” he added.

Zelensky believes the US should oversee any potential ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia focusing on energy facilities. During a press conferece, he said that there should be “increase in assistance for Ukraine” than making “any concessions”. He cautioned against the Kremlin's requests to stop military aid to Ukraine.

Trump and Putin's two-hour call

While declining a 30-day ceasefire, Vladimir Putin told Trump that Russia would temporarily halt strikes on critical infrastructure. Putin and Zelensky had agreed to a limited ceasefire to pause attacks on energy infrastructure. Putin has shown readiness to work with the United States on exploring "possible ways" to stop the conflict in Ukraine, the Kremlin said. It further said the US and its allies must stop their military and intelligence support to Kyiv.

Earlier, Putin told Trump that for a full ceasefire to work, Ukraine must not be permitted to rearm and must pause mandatory mobilisation, which Kyiv says would leave it at risk to further Russian attacks.

Zelensky's response to overnight attacks from Russia

Ukraine saw drone and missile strikes launched overnight from Russia. Terming it “very much at odds with reality", Zelensky criticised Russia's actions. "Even last night, after Putin's conversation with ... Trump, when Putin said that he was allegedly giving orders to stop strikes on Ukrainian energy, there were 150 drones launched overnight, including on energy facilities,” PTI quoted Zelenskyy as saying at a presser in Helsinki with Finnish President Alexander Stubb.

Russia's accusation

Russia said it had paused its targeting of Ukraine's energy facilities and blamed Kyiv of attacking equipment near one of its pipelines. “Unfortunately, we see that for now there is no reciprocity on the part of the Kyiv regime," AP quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying.