Michael Hernandez
19 March 2025•Update: 19 March 2025
WASHINGTON
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy lent his support to a partial ceasefire that prohibits the targeting of energy sites, two of President Donald Trump's senior officials said Wednesday.
Delegations are slated to meet in Saudi Arabia "in the coming days" to discuss efforts to widen the ceasefire to the Black Sea ahead of a full ceasefire, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement released by the White House.
"They agreed this could be the first step toward the full end of the war and ensuring security. President Zelenskyy was grateful for the President’s leadership in this effort and reiterated his willingness to adopt a full ceasefire," they said.
The announcement was made after Trump and Zelenskyy concluded what the officials described as a "fantastic" call in which they "agreed Ukraine and America will continue working together to bring about a real end to the war, and that lasting peace under President Trump's leadership can be achieved."
The officials said Trump "fully briefed" Zelenskyy on his call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday in which the Russian leader agreed to the limited ceasefire that would temporarily halt attacks "on all energy and infrastructure.”
Waltz and Rubio's statement listed only "energy" as being covered by the partial ceasefire, and it is unclear if the truce covers the same types of targets as the ones Putin agreed to on Tuesday.
During Trump's call Wednesday with Zelenskyy, the leaders reviewed the situation in Russia's Kursk region where Ukrainian forces launched a shock offensive in August, but where they have been dealt successive setbacks in recent weeks.
"President Zelenskyy asked for additional air defense systems to protect his civilians, particularly Patriot missile systems, President Trump agreed to work with him to find what was available particularly in Europe," said Rubio and Waltz.
Asked if the Trump administration would halt US military and intelligence support for Ukraine, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt told reporters that "intelligence sharing, in terms of defense for Ukraine, will continue to be shared."
Trump also discussed Ukraine’s electrical supply and nuclear power plants, saying the US “could be very helpful in running those plants with its electricity and utility expertise.”
“American ownership of those plants would be the best protection for that infrastructure and support for Ukrainian energy infrastructure,” said Rubio and Waltz.
