Ukrainian leader Zelenskyy to speak with Trump after U.S. President’s ceasefire talks with Putin

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy plans to discuss Putin's actions with Trump amid ongoing Russian drone strikes in Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that he plans to speak with U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday (March 19, 2025) to hear more about his call with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

“Today I will have contact with President Trump,” Mr. Zelenskyy said at a news conference in Helsinki with Finnish President Alexander Stubb. “We will discuss the details of the next steps with him.”

Mr. Zelenskyy said that Mr. Putin’s agreement to stop striking energy infrastructure were “very much at odds with reality” following a series of drone attacks across the country.

Mr. Zelenskyy said that one of the most difficult issues in future negotiations would be the issue of territorial concessions.

“For us, the red line is the recognition of the Ukrainian temporarily occupied territories as Russian. We will not go for it,” he said.

Meanwhile, Russia launched a series of drone strikes that struck civilian areas overnight and damaged a hospital in Ukraine following the refusal by Mr. Putin to back a full 30-day ceasefire during discussions with his American counterpart. 

Mr. Zelenskyy said that the attacks continue to strike Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, despite Mr. Putin's agreement to immediately cease attacks on the power grid. Mr. Zelenskyy said that Moscow’s refusal to halt all strikes proved the need for increased pressure on Moscow to prevent Mr. Putin from prolonging the war.