Zelenskyy Agrees To Halt Strikes On Energy, Civilian Infrastructure After Hour-Long Call With Trump

New Delhi: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a phone call with US President Donald Trump and said that he has accepted the unconditional ceasefire proposal as proposed by the US. The call, described by Zelenskyy as "positive, very substantive, and frank," focused on strengthening collaboration between Ukraine and the United States to bring an end to the ongoing war and achieve lasting peace.

Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to Trump for the fruitful meeting of Ukrainian and American teams in Jeddah on March 11, which he said had made significant progress toward ending the war. 

"We agreed that Ukraine and the United States should continue working together to achieve a real end to the war and lasting peace," Zelenskyy said. 

He said that with American leadership, peace could be achieved within the year.

Trump shared the details of his conversation with Putin, highlighting key issues discussed, including a potential step towards ending the war: halting strikes on civilian infrastructure such as energy facilities. 

Zelenskyy confirmed Ukraine's readiness to implement this measure, which had been discussed during the Jeddah talks. Furthermore, Trump proposed an unconditional ceasefire along the frontline, a proposal that Zelenskyy accepted. Both leaders agreed that these steps were necessary to lay the groundwork for a comprehensive peace agreement during the ceasefire.

Zelenskyy also provided an update on the battlefield situation, particularly the impacts of Russian strikes, and discussed the ongoing issues in the Kursk region, the release of prisoners of war (POWs), and the return of Ukrainian children abducted by Russian forces. The leaders also addressed Ukraine's air defense situation, with Zelenskyy noting the need to strengthen it to protect civilian lives.

The two leaders instructed their teams to resolve technical issues regarding the partial ceasefire and agreed to continue their diplomatic efforts. Ukrainian and American teams are set to meet again in Saudi Arabia soon to further coordinate steps toward peace. 

Zelenskyy expressed his appreciation for the ongoing work of their respective advisors, including Marco Rubio, Michael Waltz, and Ukrainian officials such as Andriy Yermak and Oleksandr Sybiha.

Zelenskyy also thanked President Trump and the American people for their unwavering support, reaffirming Ukraine's commitment to peace, and highlighting the importance of Trump's "peace through strength" approach.