Trump and Zelenskyy share ‘frank’ but ‘very good’ call as Ukraine accepts partial ceasefire

Guardian UK ^ | 3/19/2025 | Shaun Walker and Pjotr Sauer

[marcusmaximus]

Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a “very good telephone call” on Wednesday, according to Trump, in the first conversation between the US president and his Ukrainian counterpart since their disastrous showdown in the White House three weeks ago.

Zelenskyy described the call as “positive, very substantive and frank”, and said he had signed up to a partial ceasefire that Trump agreed with Vladimir Putin a day earlier. The White House said Trump had promised to help with a Ukrainian request to source more air defence batteries for Kyiv.

-snip-

Previously, Ukrainian and US negotiating teams had agreed on a full ceasefire, but Putin turned that down suggesting instead pausing mutual strikes on energy infrastructure and a ceasefire in the Black Sea.

-snip-

In a Zoom call with journalists late on Wednesday, Zelenskyy said he had “felt no pressure” from Trump, adding: “It was a fruitful conversation, perhaps the most fruitful we have had, the mood was positive.

“We have received signals from the United States that we are talking about the ceasefire on energy facilities, so not to attack energy infrastructure, and we are also talking about the civilian infrastructure facilities.”

Zelenskyy said his team would draw up a list of the kind of facilities they felt could be included and would present them to the Americans at upcoming negotiations.

The Ukrainian leader also said that he and Trump had discussed the US proposal to take ownership of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in south Ukraine.

“We talked only about one power plant, which is under Russian occupation,” he said.

[ransomnote]

"The Ukrainian leader also said that he and Trump had discussed the US proposal to take ownership of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in south Ukraine. “We talked only about one power plant, which is under Russian occupation,” he said."

The Ukrainians have attacked this powerplant so Russia has occupied it. Then the Ukrainians set some kind of fire - probably with drone(s) but it did not damage the plant. So it's not safe to give it back to Ukraine, and as long as the Russians hold control of it, the Ukraine would still target it. So having the US take control should mean that the Ukraine would not attack it if it's under US control, but they could use false flag techniques. At least this would give Ukraine a neutral party to control their power plant. And maybe the US is interested to know if Ukraine is producing weaponized nuclear fuel.

[kabar]

“Frank” is diplomatic phraseology that translates into disagreement between the two parties. No doubt, the US had to reiterate to the Ukrainians that they have no leverage and we are running the show.

[Who is John Galt?]