Trump says Ukraine, Russia ‘on track’ for ceasefire deal after call with Zelenskyy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President Donald Trump recently had a “very good” phone call where they discussed the preliminary agreement reached with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump took to his social media platform Truth Social to announce the positive outcome of the hour-long call, stating that the discussion was focused on aligning the requests and needs of both Russia and Ukraine following the previous call with President Putin.

Zelenskyy also shared his thoughts on the call, describing it as “positive, very substantive, and frank” in a statement posted on social media. He expressed gratitude for the productive start to the work of the Ukrainian and American teams in Jeddah on March 11, emphasizing the importance of collaboration between Ukraine and the United States in achieving lasting peace. Zelenskyy and Trump both agreed on the necessity of continued cooperation to bring an end to the war and establish peace, with Zelenskyy expressing confidence in achieving this goal with American leadership.

The recent agreement with Putin includes a 30-day ceasefire on hitting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, but does not extend to the frontlines or civilian populations as initially hoped. Despite skepticism from Ukraine and European leaders, special envoy Steve Witkoff remains optimistic about achieving a full ceasefire within a couple of weeks. Additionally, there are plans for an official meeting between Trump and Putin, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and national security advisor Mike Waltz returning to Saudi Arabia to discuss the details of the agreement.

During the call, Putin also agreed to exchange 175 prisoners and return 23 “seriously wounded” Ukrainians as a gesture of goodwill. Zelenskyy shared a post on X showcasing the return of Ukrainian prisoners, expressing gratitude to all partners involved in facilitating the exchange. However, international leaders expressed frustration over Putin’s rejection of the proposed ceasefire, with Zelenskyy calling for sanctions against Russia and increased support for Ukraine to counter Putin’s actions.

As the situation continues to unfold, Zelenskyy remains committed to seeking peace and stability in Ukraine, urging the world to reject any attempts by Putin to prolong the war. By strengthening alliances and imposing sanctions on Russia, Zelenskyy believes that peace can be achieved by holding Russia accountable for its actions. The ongoing efforts to negotiate a ceasefire and secure the release of prisoners highlight the importance of international cooperation in resolving the conflict in Ukraine.