Trump, Zelensky agree on air and sea ceasefire with Russia
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Earlier, Bloomberg reported that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky informed US President Donald Trump that Ukraine had agreed to halt strikes on Russia’s energy infrastructure.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks during a briefing in Kiev, Ukraine, Saturday, March 15, 2025 (AP)
US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky have reached an agreement on a ceasefire in the air and at sea, according to Ukrainian broadcaster Suspilne, which cited a source in Zelensky’s office on Wednesday.
The report stated that during a nearly hour-long phone call, the two leaders also discussed a broader ceasefire on the front lines and the release of prisoners. Zelensky reportedly briefed Trump on the current battlefield situation.
Trump’s diplomatic push
Earlier, Trump said he had spoken with Zelensky for about an hour, discussing the convergence of negotiating stances between Moscow and Kiev. The US president also shared details of his recent conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which focused on efforts to de-escalate the conflict.
Bloomberg reported that Zelensky informed Trump that Ukraine had agreed to halt strikes on Russia’s energy infrastructure, a key point of contention between Moscow and Kiev.
Energy attacks continue despite ceasefire talks
Despite this agreement, Kiev launched an attack on an oil transshipment facility in Russia’s Kuban region on Wednesday, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. This comes just a day after Zelensky publicly expressed support for suspending strikes on energy targets.
On Tuesday, Trump and Putin discussed conflict resolution, with both leaders expressing mutual interest in normalizing relations. The Kremlin confirmed that Putin agreed to Trump’s proposal for a 30-day halt on attacks targeting energy infrastructure.
As diplomatic efforts intensify, the effectiveness of the ceasefire agreement remains uncertain, particularly with continued hostilities on the ground.
Ceasefire talks loom
Discussions on a ceasefire in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war are set to resume on Sunday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, US President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, confirmed on Tuesday.
In an interview for Fox News, following a detailed phone call between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Witkoff revealed that negotiations would begin on Sunday in Jeddah.
The US delegation to the talks will be headed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, although Witkoff did not specify who they would engage with during the discussions.
Addressing a potential ceasefire concerning energy infrastructure and Black Sea targets, Witkoff expressed optimism, noting that the Russians have agreed to both proposals. He also expressed hope that the Ukrainians would accept the terms.
However, Ukraine accused Russia on Wednesday of effectively rejecting the US-backed ceasefire proposal, citing continued attacks on civilian infrastructure just hours after Moscow had agreed to pause strikes on the energy grid.
