The Ukrainian president spoke out after Donald Trump described his call with Vladimir Putin as ‘good and productive’
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has spoken out about his demands after Vladimir Putin agreed to a pause in air strikes on energy infrastructure in Ukraine during a call with Donald Trump.
In a call on Tuesday, March 18, President Putin agreed to a 30-day ceasefire, but just hours later, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy reported fresh Russian strikes, specifically targeting civilian infrastructure.
Zelenskyy claimed that Russia launched over 40 drones at Ukraine shortly after Putin’s call with Trump, stating, “These nighttime assaults by Russia are devastating our energy sector, our infrastructure, and the everyday lives of Ukrainians. Today, Putin has effectively rejected the proposal for a complete ceasefire.”
Meanwhile, Russia’s defense ministry claimed to have intercepted and destroyed 57 Ukrainian drones overnight, further escalating tensions between the two countries.
The developments followed Trump’s post on Truth Social, where he described his call with Putin as “very good and productive,” highlighting the diplomatic success.
In response, Zelenskyy emphasized the need for clarity before any agreements could be made. During a briefing with journalists, he expressed a desire to speak directly with Trump to understand the full context of the conversation between Putin and the U.S. president.
He stated, “I think it would be appropriate for us to have a conversation with President Trump, to know in detail what the Russians offered the Americans or what the Americans offered the Russians. Once we have the details from the American president, we will provide our response, prepare it, and our team will be ready for technical discussions.”
Trump shared some key details of the ceasefire agreement in his post on Truth Social, stating: “We agreed to an immediate Ceasefire on all Energy and Infrastructure, with an understanding that we will be working quickly toward a Complete Ceasefire and, ultimately, an END to this very horrible War between Russia and Ukraine.”
He continued, “This War would have never started if I were President! Many elements of a Contract for Peace were discussed, including the fact that thousands of soldiers are being killed, and both President Putin and President Zelenskyy would like to see it end. That process is now in full force, and we will, hopefully, for the sake of Humanity, get the job done!”
However, the recent attacks overnight have underscored the urgent need for peace between the two countries. Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, told Fox News that talks aimed at finalizing a deal between Ukraine and Russia would begin on March 23.
He added, “We have some details to work out, of course, but that will begin on Sunday in Jeddah, and beyond that, we’ll move to a full ceasefire.”
