Ukrainian President speaks out after US-Russia summit phone call

Ukrainian state news agency Ukrinform reported that on the evening of March 18, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said at a press conference that while US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin were negotiating, air raid sirens sounded in Ukraine, making it clear to the Ukrainian people that the agreements between the two leaders were not effective, at least for now.

“I think the Ukrainian people understand what is going on. Right now, air raid sirens are still going off in Ukraine. That is basically the answer to the current situation,” Mr. Zelensky said.

As far as I know, the Russian side announced that during the phone call with President Trump, they ordered to stop attacks on energy infrastructure with long-range weapons, including Shahed drones. But now the alarm is still going off, so this agreement has not come into effect yet.

Overall, according to Mr. Zelensky, the negotiations between the Ukrainian and American delegations in the Saudi city of Jeddah have achieved some positive results. In particular, the US side has proposed a complete ceasefire, although the Ukrainian proposal focuses on stopping attacks on energy facilities and establishing a gun-free zone in the air and at sea.

“The only issue that is being discussed right now is not to attack the energy sector. I don’t have any other information. I think it would be reasonable for us to have a direct conversation with President Trump to find out the details of what the Russian Federation has proposed to the United States or what the United States has proposed to the Russian Federation,” Zelensky said.

According to the Ukrainian leader, the US side, in respect of the agreements reached with Ukraine, put forward proposals that were discussed during the negotiations in Jeddah.

Mr Zelensky also stressed that Ukraine is ready to support ceasefire proposals at energy facilities, but all details of the agreement between the parties should be made public.

“Once we receive detailed information from the US President and the US side, we will give an official response, get ready and the team will enter technical negotiations,” Mr. Zelensky affirmed.

Previously, according to Foxnews, on March 18, US President Donald Trump had a phone call with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, discussing the need to end the conflict in Ukraine.

On the social media platform Truth Social, Mr. Trump described the call as “very good and productive” and added: “Many elements of a Peace Deal were discussed, including the fact that thousands of soldiers are being killed, and that both President Putin and President Zelensky want to end this. The process is now in full swing, and hopefully, for the good of humanity, we will get it done!”

“Today, President Trump and President Putin discussed the need for peace and a ceasefire in the war in Ukraine. Both leaders agreed that this conflict must end with a lasting peace,” the White House said in a statement after the call.

According to the announcement, President Trump and President Putin also emphasized “the need to improve bilateral relations between the United States and the Russian Federation,” arguing that “the blood and resources that both Ukraine and the Russian Federation have sacrificed for this war would be better used for the needs of their people.”

“This conflict should never have happened and should have ended long ago through sincere and good-faith peace efforts,” the statement continued. “The two leaders agreed that the peace process would begin with a ceasefire in energy infrastructure, along with technical negotiations on the implementation of the ceasefire in the Black Sea, leading to a comprehensive ceasefire and permanent peace.”