Trump proposes U.S. control over Ukraine’s power plants.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump held what he described as a “very good” hour-long phone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, just a day after speaking with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Following the call, Zelensky expressed optimism, stating that he believed “lasting peace can be achieved this year” under Trump’s leadership.

The White House confirmed that the potential U.S. involvement in operating Ukraine’s nuclear power plants was discussed. However, Zelensky later clarified that the conversation specifically focused on the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear facility.

The tone of this exchange appeared notably different from Zelensky’s previous visit to the White House last month, where a tense discussion took place between him, Trump, and U.S. Vice President JD Vance.

Wednesday’s call marked the first direct conversation between Trump and Zelensky since their Oval Office meeting. In the time since, their respective teams have engaged in negotiations in Saudi Arabia, working toward a proposed 30-day ceasefire.

Although the U.S. and Ukraine have backed the proposed ceasefire, Putin rejected the plan during his own phone call with Trump.

During his conversation with Trump, Zelensky expressed openness to a partial ceasefire, which would halt strikes on key infrastructure such as energy facilities, railways, and ports. However, he warned that Ukraine would retaliate if Russia violated the agreement.

“I understand that until we reach an official agreement, until there is a documented partial ceasefire, everything will continue—drones and missiles included,” Zelensky said.

Trump, writing on his Truth Social platform, stated that the call aimed to align Ukraine and Russia “in terms of their requests and needs,” adding that ceasefire efforts were progressing.

In a more detailed statement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that Trump had agreed to assist Ukraine in acquiring additional air defense systems, particularly from European allies.

Rubio also revealed that Trump and Zelensky discussed “Ukraine’s electrical supply and nuclear power plants,” with Trump proposing that the U.S. could play a key role in managing the plants due to its expertise in electricity and utility services.

“American ownership of those plants would provide the best protection for Ukraine’s energy infrastructure,” Rubio stated.

However, Zelensky later clarified that while the topic of power plants was raised, discussions specifically focused on the Zaporizhzhia facility.

The outcome of the call was seen as encouraging for Zelensky, who described the discussion as “positive,” “frank,” and “very substantive” during an online briefing on Wednesday.

“We believe that with America’s support and under President Trump’s leadership, lasting peace can be achieved this year,” Zelensky wrote on X.

During his conversation with reporters, Zelensky also suggested that Putin would likely not agree to a full ceasefire while Ukrainian forces remained in Russia’s western Kursk region, where Kyiv launched a surprise attack in August last year.

Both Zelensky and Putin have previously expressed willingness to halt strikes on energy infrastructure, yet they have since accused each other of continued attacks.

Agreement Shows a Deal is Never Dead with Trump

Despite uncertainties surrounding negotiations, former U.S. President Donald Trump once again demonstrated his ability to keep deals alive, as seen in his recent diplomatic efforts with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Putin Gives Trump the Bare Minimum

During his conversations with Trump, Putin appeared to offer only limited concessions. While Ukraine and the U.S. had hoped for a broader ceasefire agreement, Putin ultimately rejected the proposal, providing little movement toward a resolution.

Putin did not agree to a full truce during his call with Trump, instead outlining his own conditions for peace

Trump and Zelensky Discuss Key Issues

Trump revealed that his call with Zelensky on Wednesday lasted approximately an hour.

“Much of the discussion was based on the call made yesterday with President Putin in order to align both Russia and Ukraine in terms of their requests and needs,” he wrote on Truth Social.

As a next step, technical teams from Ukraine and the U.S. are set to meet in Saudi Arabia in the coming days to continue discussions.

Tensions and Ceasefire Talks: Trump’s Role in Ukraine-Russia Negotiations

During a tense meeting at the White House last month, former U.S. President Donald Trump criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for not showing enough gratitude for U.S. military and political support. He also warned Zelensky that he was “gambling with World War Three.”

Following the meeting, the U.S. temporarily suspended military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine. However, diplomatic efforts helped mend relations, leading to an agreement on a ceasefire on March 11.

Putin’s Conditions and Renewed Attacks

During his conversation with Trump on Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to stop attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. However, he made it clear that a full ceasefire would only be possible if Ukraine’s allies ceased military assistance—an ultimatum that Kyiv’s European supporters have firmly rejected.

Despite this, hostilities continued just hours after the call. Ukraine reported that hospitals were targeted, while Russian officials in Krasnodar claimed a Ukrainian drone strike caused a fire at an oil depot.

Prisoner Exchange Amid Conflict

Despite the ongoing strikes, both Ukraine and Russia proceeded with a significant prisoner exchange on Wednesday. Each side released 175 prisoners of war, with Zelensky calling it “one of the largest” swaps to date. He also noted that Russia included an additional 22 severely wounded soldiers in the exchange.