{"id":1314,"date":"2025-03-19T14:09:57","date_gmt":"2025-03-19T15:09:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/softnary.com\/?p=1314"},"modified":"2025-03-27T11:27:47","modified_gmt":"2025-03-27T11:27:47","slug":"trump-hints-at-taking-ukraines-nuclear-power-and-electrical-sites-in-zelensky-call","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/softnary.com\/index.php\/2025\/03\/19\/trump-hints-at-taking-ukraines-nuclear-power-and-electrical-sites-in-zelensky-call\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump hints at taking Ukraine\u2019s nuclear power and electrical sites in Zelensky call"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\t\t\t<\/div>
US President Donald Trump (left) and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (right) spoke for about an hour by phone on Wednesday (Picture: AFP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

US President Donald Trump<\/a> floated taking control of Ukraine\u2019s nuclear power and electrical sites in a call in which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky<\/a> agreed to a limited ceasefire deal.<\/p>\n

Trump suggested taking \u2018Ukraine\u2019s electrical supply and nuclear power plants\u2019 as the US could be \u2018very helpful in running those plants with its electricity and utility expertise\u2019, stated State Secretary Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Michael Waltz.<\/p>\n

But Zelensky after the Wednesday call said the idea applied only to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which \u2018under temporary occupation\u2019 by Russia<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Zelensky added that he is under \u2018no pressure\u2019 to hand over the plant.<\/p>\n

\n
\n\t\t\"Volodymyr\t<\/div>
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky shared a photo of himself on the call with US President Donald Trump (Picture: X\/@ZelenskyyUa)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Trump administration has \u2018moved beyond just the economic minerals deal framework\u2019 and is \u2018looking at a lasting cease-fire,\u2019 said White House<\/a> Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.<\/p>\n

Zelensky agreed to accept Russia\u2019s offer to stop attacks on energy targets for 30 days as a move toward a full ceasefire.<\/p>\n

The Ukrainian president during a press conference in Finland said that Russian drones were still deployed and that \u2018everything will continue to fly\u2019 until \u2018there is an appropriate document laying out the deal terms.<\/p>\n

Earlier, Zelensky shared a lengthy post on the call that his country believes \u2018lasting peace can be achieved\u2019 under the Trump\u2019s leadership. Trump had called it a \u2018very good\u2019 discussion.<\/p>\n

\n
\n\t\t\"epa11973379\t<\/div>
Ukraine\u2019s President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks during a joint press conference with Finland\u2019s President Alexander Stubb following their talks during his official visit to Helsinki, Finland (Picture: EPA)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\n
\n\t\t\"Volodymyr\t<\/div>
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky detailed his call with President Donald Trump in an X post (Picture: X\/@ZelenskyyUa)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018I had a positive, very substantive, and frank conversation with President of the United States Donald Trump,\u2019 wrote Zelensky<\/a> on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday afternoon.<\/p>\n

He said he thanked Trump for a \u2018good and productive start\u2019 to the Ukrainian and American teams\u2019 meeting in Jeddah earlier this month focused on moving toward the end of the war. <\/p>\n

\u2018We agreed that Ukraine and the United States should continue working together to achieve a real end to the war and lasting peace,\u2019 Zelensky wrote.<\/p>\n

\u2018We believe that together with America, with President Trump, and under American leadership, lasting peace can be achieved this year.\u2019<\/p>\n

\n
\n\t\t\"Volodymyr\t<\/div>
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he thanked US President Donald Trump and believes lasting peace can be achieved under his leadership (Picture: X\/@ZelenskyyUa)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Zelensky\u2019s five-paragraph post struck a tone of gratitude throughout \u2013 a sharp contrast to the shouting match the two leaders had in the White House last month<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u2018I thanked President Trump and the American people for their support. I stressed that Ukrainians want peace, which is why Ukraine accepted the proposal for an unconditional ceasefire,\u2019 Zelensky wrote.<\/p>\n

\u2018I highlighted the importance of President Trump\u2019s concept of peace through strength.\u2019<\/p>\n

Zelensky said that Trump shared details of his call with Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday and that halting strikes on energy and civilian infrastructure is one of the steps toward ending the war completely. <\/p>\n

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class=\"metro-related-video-carousel__related-video-placeholder-thumbnail\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"metro-related-video-carousel__related-video-placeholder-headline\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"metro-related-video-carousel__related-video-placeholder\">\n<div class=\"metro-related-video-carousel__related-video-placeholder-thumbnail\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"metro-related-video-carousel__related-video-placeholder-headline\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\twindow.addEventListener(‘metroVideo:relatedVideosCarouselLoaded’, function(data) {<br \/>\n\t\t\t\tif (typeof(data.detail) === ‘undefined’ || typeof(data.detail.carousel) === ‘undefined’ || typeof(data.detail.carousel.el_) === ‘undefined’) {<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\treturn;<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t}<br \/>\n\t\t\t\tvar player = data.detail.carousel.el_;<br \/>\n\t\t\t\tvar container = player.closest(‘.metro-video-player’);<br \/>\n\t\t\t\tvar placeholder = container.querySelector(‘.metro-video-player__up-next-placeholder’);<br \/>\n\t\t\t\tcontainer.removeChild(placeholder);<br \/>\n\t\t\t\tcontainer.classList.add(‘metro-video-player–related-videos-loaded’);<br \/>\n\t\t\t});<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u2018I supported this step, and Ukraine confirmed that we are ready to implement it,\u2019 Zelensky wrote.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018The American side also proposed an unconditional ceasefire on the frontline, and Ukraine accepted this proposal as well.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>He added that he updated Trump on the battlefield situation and Russia\u2019s latest drone strikes, the release of prisoners of war, and that they talked about strengthening Ukraine\u2019s air defense and returning Ukrainian children taken by Russia. <\/p>\n<p>Zelensky\u2019s account closely mirrored Rubio\u2019s readout of the call. Rubio stated that Zelensky thanked Trump and thinks \u2018a lasting peace under President Trump\u2019s leadership can be achieved\u2019.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"646\" height=\"316\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"article-image wp-image-22757311 lazyload\" alt=\"(Picture: Truth Social)\" loading=\"lazy\" data-src=\"http:\/\/softnary.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/SEI_244442898-3842.jpg\">\t<\/div><figcaption>US President Donald Trump remarked on his phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on his Truth Social platform (Picture: Truth Social\/@realDonaldTrump)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Leavitt, who read Rubio\u2019s statement, concluded that a partial ceasefire was \u2018incomprehensible\u2019 a couple of years ago. <\/p>\n<p>\u2018We have never been this close to peace and it\u2019s only because of President Trump that we are here,\u2019 she said.<\/p>\n<p>Trump and Zelensky had the call hours after <a data-track=\"inline-tag-auto-link_article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/ukraine\/\">Ukraine<\/a> was pummeled by <a data-track=\"inline-tag-auto-link_article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/strikes\/\">strikes<\/a> when Russia broke an agreement to stop attacks on infrastructure. Technical teams are scheduled to meet in Saudi Arabia \u2018in the coming days\u2019 to talk about broadening the ceasefire on energy sites to include the Black Sea, stated Rubio and Waltz.<\/p>\n<p>The US president <a href=\"https:\/\/truthsocial.com\/@realDonaldTrump\/posts\/114189841352600682\">posted on Truth Social<\/a>: \u2018Just completed a very good telephone call with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine. It lasted approximately one 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.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"646\" height=\"431\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"article-image wp-image-22757150 lazyload\" alt=\"White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks during the daily briefing at the White House in Washington, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP Photo\/Ben Curtis)\" loading=\"lazy\" data-src=\"http:\/\/softnary.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/SEI_244437355-d004.jpg\">\t<\/div><figcaption>White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks during the daily briefing at the White House on Wednesday (Picture: AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u2018We are very much on track, and I will ask Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, to give an accurate description of the points discussed.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Yesterday, Trump and Putin reportedly brokered a deal for Russia to stop striking crucial Ukrainian infrastructure for 30 days \u2013 which Putin promptly broke this morning.<\/p>\n<p>The Kremlin hit energy infrastructure in Slovyansk, a city in the Donetsk region, leaving large swathes of the city of 100,000 people without power.<\/p>\n<p>In response, Russia accused Ukraine of launching air attacks and the Kremlin said it had shot down 57 Ukrainian drones.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"646\" height=\"485\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"article-image wp-image-22755738 lazyload\" loading=\"lazy\" data-src=\"http:\/\/softnary.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/SEI_244392883-8f8a.jpg\">\t<\/div><figcaption>Russia struck areas near vital infrastructure in Ukraine overnight (Picture: AFP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Zelensky said Moscow\u2019s refusal to halt all strikes proved the need for increased pressure on Moscow to prevent Putin from prolonging the war.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018This confirms that we must continue to pressure Russia for the sake of peace,\u2019 he said on Tuesday night.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018Only a real halt to Russia\u2019s attacks on civilian infrastructure can signal a genuine desire to end this war and bring peace closer.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>The Ukrainian leader said that one of the most difficult issues in future negotiations would be the issue of territorial concessions.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"646\" height=\"431\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"article-image wp-image-22755676 lazyload\" alt=\"(FILES) US President Donald Trump and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky meet in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, February 28, 2025. US President Donald Trump suspended military aid to Ukraine on March 3, a White House official said, sharply escalating pressure on Kyiv to agree to peace negotiations with Russia. (Photo by SAUL LOEB \/ AFP) (Photo by SAUL LOEB\/AFP via Getty Images)\" loading=\"lazy\" data-src=\"http:\/\/softnary.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/SEI_242429151-202c.jpg\">\t<\/div><figcaption>It\u2019s the first time the pair have spoken since their bust-up in the White House (Picture: AFP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u2018For us, the red line is the recognition of the Ukrainian temporarily occupied territories as Russian,\u2019 he said. \u2018We will not go for it.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>The White House described the call between Trump and Putin as the first step in a \u2018movement to peace\u2019 that it hopes will include a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea and eventually a full and lasting end to the fighting.<\/p>\n<p>But there was no indication that Putin backed away from his conditions for a prospective peace deal, which is fiercely opposed by Kyiv.<\/p>\n<p>Trump touted the results of the 90-minute call with Putin on Truth Social on Tuesday afternoon.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"646\" height=\"431\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"article-image wp-image-22755695 lazyload\" alt=\"US President Donald Trump speaks to reporters aboard Air Force One while flying to Washington, DC, from Florida, on March 16, 2025, above Virginia. (Photo by Brendan Smialowski \/ AFP) (Photo by BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI\/AFP via Getty Images)\" loading=\"lazy\" data-src=\"http:\/\/softnary.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/SEI_244184444-fa81.jpg\">\t<\/div><figcaption>Trump spoke to Putin yesterday in a bid to end the war \u2013 Putin struck Ukraine again this morning (Picture: AFP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u2018We 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,\u2019\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/truthsocial.com\/@realDonaldTrump\/posts\/114184931453780675\">wrote Trump<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018Many 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.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018That process is now in full force and effect, and we will, hopefully, for the sake of Humanity, get the job done!\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Trump added, as he has said many times before, that the war would not have started if he were president.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><strong><strong><strong>Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"mailto:webnews@metro.co.uk\" target=\"_blank\">webnews@metro.co.uk<\/a>.<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><strong>For more stories like this, <\/strong><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/news\/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>check our news page<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>US President Donald Trump (left) and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (right) spoke for about an hour by phone on Wednesday (Picture: AFP) US President Donald Trump floated taking control of Ukraine\u2019s nuclear power and electrical sites in a call in which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky agreed to a limited ceasefire deal. Trump suggested taking \u2018Ukraine\u2019s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":300,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1314","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-russia-ukraine"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/softnary.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1314","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/softnary.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/softnary.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/softnary.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/softnary.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1314"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/softnary.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1314\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1326,"href":"http:\/\/softnary.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1314\/revisions\/1326"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/softnary.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/300"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/softnary.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1314"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/softnary.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1314"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/softnary.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1314"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}