Zelensky breaks silence after Trump and Putin agree to 30-day ceasefire in ‘very good’ call

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has finally broken his silence after US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to an immediate 30-day ceasefire on energy infrastructure.

Trump said a ‘very good and productive’ call on Tuesday toward ending the Ukraine war ended with him and Putin agreeing to a temporary halt on attacks.

Zelensky said his country and Russia ‘can reach the agreement’ not to strike infrastructure – with the US supporting continuing negotiations.

‘It cannot be so that Russia will be striking our energy sector, and we will be silent. We will respond,’ stated Zelensky.

‘But both sides Russian and Ukrainian can cease attacking the energy sector, our side is going to support this.’

Zelensky added that ‘the sky and the sea’ were ‘part of our proposal’.

Trump touted the results of the more than hourlong call with Putin on Truth Social on Tuesday afternoon.

‘We agreed to an immediate Ceasefire on all Energy and Infrastructure, with an understanding that we will be working quickly to have a Complete Ceasefire and, ultimately, an END to this very horrible War between Russia and Ukraine,’ wrote Trump.

‘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 effect, and we will, hopefully, for the sake of Humanity, get the job done!’

Trump added, as he has said many times before, that the war would not have started if he were president.

Ukraine has not commented on the agreement, which came together after Putin told Trump that the US and its allies need to stop giving foreign military assistance and intelligence to Ukraine in order to stop hostilities.

Putin’s ‘key condition’ to halt the war was a ‘complete cessation’ of aid to Ukraine, according to the Kremlin.

The White House readout of the presidents’ call on Tuesday stated that the two ‘agreed that the movement to peace will begin with an energy and infrastructure ceasefire, as well as technical negotiations on implementation of a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea, full ceasefire and permanent peace’.

Negotiations are set to ‘begin immediately’ in the Middle East.

‘The two leaders agreed that a future with an improved bilateral relationship between the United States and Russia has huge upside,’ stated the readout. ‘This includes enormous economic deals and geopolitical stability when peace has been achieved.’

Trump and Putin agreed that the war ‘needs to end with a lasting peace’. The White House added that the call signaled a ‘movement to peace’ and that it will hopefully lead to a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea.

They spoke for more than an hour as Putin had continued to resist a US-backed proposal for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine. The readout did not indicate that Putin agreed to that.

Ukraine, which said it would support an unconditional 30-day ceasefire, did not immediately respond to the development. Trump had aimed to reach the 30-day deal.

Putin told Trump that a prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine involving 175 people will start tomorrow, the Kremlin said.

‘In addition, as a gesture of goodwill, 23 seriously wounded Ukrainian servicemen who are being treated in Russian medical institutions will be transferred,’ it said in a readout.

According to the Kremlin, ‘Donald Trump supported Vladimir Putin’s idea to organize hockey matches in the USA and Russia between Russian and American players playing in the NHL and KHL.’ They plan to stay in touch on ‘all issues raised’.

Military chiefs are set to discuss peacekeeping plans in London.

Zelensky has accepted the proposed unconditional ceasefire, but Russia isn’t budging – going as far as to say Ukraine needs to abandon its NATO ambitions and give up territory.

But when asked about what he would speak to Putin about, Trump said: ‘A lot of work’s been done over the weekend. We want to see if we can bring that war to an end.

‘I think we have a lot of it already discussed very much by both sides, Ukraine and Russia. We are already talking about, dividing up certain assets.

‘We will be talking about land. We will be talking about power plants,’ he added.

Meanwhile, military chiefs from the ‘coalition of the willing’, convened by Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron will meet in London on Thursday to discuss plans for a Western peacekeeping force in Ukraine.

The prime minister earlier Putin ‘the world is watching’ and told global leaders the Russian leader will have to come to the negotiating table ‘sooner or later’.

He also added there had been ‘new commitments’ offered and planning would now move into an ‘operational phase’.

Speaking from the Cabinet room in Number 10 on Saturday, Sir Keir told world leaders they could not ‘sit back and wait’ for a ceasefire in Ukraine, adding: ‘We have to keep pushing ahead, pushing forward and preparing for peace, and a peace that will be secure and that will last.’

He also accused Putin of trying to ‘delay’ a ceasefire, adding: ‘Sooner or later he is going to have to come to the table and engage in serious discussions.’

Zelensky previously said Putin was planning to refuse a 30-day ceasefire deal – but that he is ‘too afraid’ to tell Trump.

‘Putin often does this – he does not say “no” directly, but does so in a way that practically only delays everything and makes normal decisions impossible. We believe that all this is now – another Russian manipulation,’ he wrote on Telegram.

‘As we have always said, the only one who will delay everything, the only one who will be unconstructive is Russia. They need war.

‘Putin stole years of peace and continues this war – day after day. Now we need to put pressure on him.

If accepted unconditionally, an extended ceasefire would amount to a strategic defeat for Putin, Chalmers warned.

It would solidify Ukraine’s independence, accelerate Western aid, and also reinforce the ties with Europe.

These are all outcomes that would contradict Putin’s imperialistic goals in the start of the full-scale invasion.

Malcolm Chalmers, deputy director-general of the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), told Metro: ‘As soon as the guns stop, Ukraine’s airports will reopen, foreign assistance will flow in at greater speed, and there will be a strong sense of success across Ukraine.

‘This is not what Russia has fought three years of bloody war to achieve. It will not be easy for Putin to explain to his followers why he has wasted so much blood and treasure.’

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