Donald Trump has proposed the US take over the running of Ukraine’s energy plants “for security”, in a phone call with Volodymyr Zelensky.
The two leaders spoke by phone for the first time since last month’s infamous White House row.
A White House statement following the call read: “President Trump also discussed Ukraine's electrical supply and nuclear power plants. He said that the United States 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.”
Mr Zelensky hit out at Vladimir Putin over strikes on Ukraine’s energy grid – which came within hours of the Russian leader’s promising to halt such strikes for 30 days.
In a social media post, Mr Trump said the call was to “align both Russia and Ukraine in terms of their requests and needs”, as he sought to bring about a ceasefire.
“We are very much on track,” Mr Trump added.
On Tuesday, the Russian autocrat promised to halt strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure but refused to back a complete month-long ceasefire.
An overnight Russian missile attack left part of Slovyansk city without electricity, military officials said.
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Key Points
- Trump hails 'very good' call with Zelensky
- Trump proposes US takeover of Ukraine's energy plants
- Russia and Ukraine both release 175 prisoners of war
- 'Putin is playing a game', says German minister
- Putin’s ceasefire promises last just hours
- Trump ends programme tracking abducted Ukrainian children, lawmakers say
Russia sends 400 firefighters to put out fire at Krasnodar oil depot
03:00
,
Arpan Rai
Russian authorities have had to deploy hundreds of firefighters to extinguish a blaze which broke out yesterday at an oil depot in southern Krasnodar region.
The fire broke out on Tuesday after Ukraine had launched a drone attack on Russia and is yet to be brought under control.
Authorities in the region said a total of 406 firefighters and 157 pieces of equipment had been sent to the site near the village of Kavkazskaya.
"Specialists are continuing to battle the fire over an area of 4,250 sq. metres (45,750 sq. ft)," Krasnodar regional administration said on Telegram. The fire focused on burning petroleum products around a tank and shut-off valves.
The region's administration said on Tuesday that 30 employees had been evacuated from the depot and operations had been suspended.
Watch: White House declares Russia and Ukraine ‘never been closer to peace’
02:30
,
Jane Dalton
Analysis: Zelensky spies chance to get Trump back on side
01:15
,
Jane Dalton
No 10 welcomes Trump's progress on truce deal
00:05
,
Jane Dalton
Downing Street has welcomed "the progress President Trump has made” towards a ceasefire deal after the US leader's call with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky.
A Downing Street spokesperson said: "We welcome the progress President Trump has made towards a ceasefire deal, and we will continue to work with international partners on putting Ukraine in the strongest possible position.
"We now need to ensure the implementation of the ceasefire deal to see a just and lasting peace in Ukraine."
European blueprint outlines how to boost defence spending
Wednesday 19 March 2025 23:01
,
Jane Dalton
Europe should further boost military spending, pool resources on joint defence projects and buy more European arms, according to an EU blueprint unveiled on Wednesday.
The European Commission presented the proposals in a White Paper on defence, which aims to ensure Europe has a "strong and sufficient" defence posture by 2030.
"The international order is undergoing changes of a magnitude not seen since 1945. This is a pivotal moment for European security," European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said in Brussels.
Ms Kallas said Russia's economy was in "full war mode", with 40% of its federal budget going to the military.
"Regardless of the ongoing negotiations for peace in Ukraine, this is a long-term investment in a long-term plan of aggression," she declared.
Some proposed measures aim to boost the EU's arms industry, so any role for companies from major weapons producers in the United States, Britain and Turkey would be substantially limited.
US denies data on abducted children deleted
Wednesday 19 March 2025 22:00
,
Jane Dalton
The US State Department has denied that data collected in a government-funded program that helps track abducted Ukrainian children has been deleted, but acknowledged that the effort had been terminated as part of Washington's freeze on almost all foreign aid.
In a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Democratic lawmakers sounded alarm that the data might have been permanently deleted.
State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said suggestions that data was deleted were false.
"The data exists," she said. "It was not in the State Department's control. It was the people running that framework, but we know who is running the data and the website, and we know fully that the data exists and it's not been deleted and it's not missing."
On Wednesday it was revealed that the Trump administration cut funding to Yale University’s Humanitarian Research Lab, which was compiling a database of alleged Russian war crimes, including the abduction of an estimated 35,000 children from occupied areas of Ukraine:
Putin demands Ukrainian capitulation, say experts
Wednesday 19 March 2025 21:10
,
Jane Dalton
The Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank, has said Vladimir Putin's demands during his call with Donald Trump would amount to "Ukrainian capitulation".
"Putin is attempting to hold the temporary ceasefire proposal hostage in order to extract pre-emptive concessions ahead of formal negotiations to end the war," the ISW said.
White House national security adviser Mike Waltz said on social media that he and his Russian counterpart, Yuri Ushakov, agreed on Wednesday that their teams would meet soon in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia "to focus on implementing and expanding the partial ceasefire President Trump secured from Russia".
Lasting peace can be achieved this year, says Zelensky
Wednesday 19 March 2025 20:25
,
Jane Dalton
Volodymyr Zelensky says he believes lasting peace can be achieved this year with the support of the US, after his phone call with Donald Trump - the first time the pair had spoken since the US president threw his Ukrainian counterpart out of the White House.
On social media, Mr Zelensky said Ukraine was ready to implement the ending of strikes on energy and other civilian infrastructure, agreed by Russia’s Vladimir Putin and the US leader.
Mr Zelensky thanked Mr Trump for the talks in Saudi Arabia earlier this week, and added: "We agreed that Ukraine and the United States should continue working together to achieve a real end to the war and lasting peace.
"We believe that together with America, with President Trump, and under American leadership, lasting peace can be achieved this year."
Orban says EU must back Trump efforts
Wednesday 19 March 2025 19:48
,
Jane Dalton
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban says the European Union has to back efforts by Donald Trump to get a peace deal.
Asked whether he continued to oppose the EU giving more money to Ukraine, Orban replied: "We don't support it.
"In our understanding, there is one simple mission to be done by the European Union - to support President Donald Trump's efforts to make peace," he added.
White House says intelligence-sharing will continue
Wednesday 19 March 2025 19:19
,
Jane Dalton
Analysis: Trump’s stance on Russia won’t end war
Wednesday 19 March 2025 18:58
,
Jane Dalton
Zelensky thanks Trump for PoWs exchange
Wednesday 19 March 2025 18:11
,
Jane Dalton
The White House said President Zelensky thanked President Trump for continuing to push humanitarian [sic] including the exchange of prisoners of war.
“President Trump also asked President Zelensky about the children who had gone missing from Ukraine during the war, including the ones that had been abducted, and President Trump promised to work closely with both parties to help make sure those children were returned home,” the White House statement said.
“They agreed all parties must continue the effort to make a ceasefire work. The presidents noted the positive work of their advisers and representatives, especially Secretary Rubio, National Security Advisor Mike waltz, Special Envoy Kellogg and others.
“The presidents instructed their teams to move ahead with the technical issues related to implementing and broadening the partial ceasefire.
“The presidents instructed their advisers and representatives to carry out this work as quickly as possible.
“The President's emphasis on the teams can agree on all necessary aspects of advancing toward lasting peace and security."
Zelensky hails 'substantive and frank' conversation with Trump
Wednesday 19 March 2025 18:08
,
Jane Dalton
Ukraine’s President Zelensky says he had a “positive, very substantive and frank” conversation with President Trump the first time the two leaders had spoken since Mr Trump and JD Vance verbally attacked Mr Zelensky in the Oval Office.
Mr Zelensky said he thanked the US president for a good and productive start to the work of the Ukrainian and American teams in Jeddah.
The meeting significantly helped in moving toward ending the war, he said.
“We agreed that Ukraine and the United States should continue working together to achieve a real end to the war and lasting peace,” he went on.
“We believe that together with America, with President Trump, and under American leadership, lasting peace can be achieved this year.
“President Trump shared details of his conversation with Putin and the key issues discussed.
“One of the first steps toward fully ending the war could be ending strikes on energy and other civilian infrastructure. I supported this step, and Ukraine confirmed that we are ready to implement it.”
EU could give Kyiv huge ammunition boost
Wednesday 19 March 2025 18:04
,
Jane Dalton
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas says she will present a proposal to EU leaders in Brussels on Thursday to provide Ukraine with two million rounds of large-calibre artillery ammunition, according to a letter seen by Reuters.
The bloc's diplomatic service last week circulated a discussion paper saying the EU should be prepared to go as far as doubling its military aid to Ukraine this year to 40 billion euros, but several countries made clear they were not ready to back that plan.
Now Kallas is pushing for one part of the plan to be agreed as a first step, writing in a letter addressed to EU foreign and defence ministers that two million rounds, valued at 5 billion euros, "is available on the market and could be delivered in 2025".
"Ukraine is relying on us to act now," she wrote, adding: "I intend to present this proposal to European leaders tomorrow at the European Council meeting and stress the importance of supporting this objective."
US shares intelligence again with Kyiv
Wednesday 19 March 2025 17:53
,
Jane Dalton
The US will share battlefield intelligence again with Ukraine, President Trump has told President Zelensky.
According to a White House briefing on a call between the two leaders, President Trump “fully briefed President Zelensky on his conversation with Putin and the key issues discussed.
“They reviewed the situation in Kursk and agreed to share information closely between their defense staffs as the battlefield situation evolved.
“President Zelensky asked for additional air defense systems to protect his civilians, particularly Patriot missile systems, and President Trump agreed to work with him to find what was available, particularly in Europe.”
Two weeks ago, Mr Trump suspended intelligence-sharing for several days.
Trump proposes taking over Ukraine's energy plants
Wednesday 19 March 2025 17:47
,
Jane Dalton
Donald Trump has proposed the US take over the running of Ukraine’s energy plants, in a phone call with President Zelensky.
A White House statement following the call read: “President Trump also discussed Ukraine's electrical supply and nuclear power plants.
“He said that the United States 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.”
Russia has repeatedly bombed Ukraine’s energy infrastructure over the past three years.
Why both Russia and Ukraine covet Crimea
Wednesday 19 March 2025 17:40
,
Jane Dalton
Zelensky still aiming for Nato and EU membership
Wednesday 19 March 2025 17:21
,
Jane Dalton
Ukraine’s president Zelensky has again made clear his ambition for his country of joining the EU and Nato.
After meeting Finnish politicians, including the parliament’s Speaker, Mr Zelensky wrote on social media: “Our state, together with its partners, is developing a plan to achieve peace and ensure reliable security guarantees for Ukraine.
“Special attention was paid to supporting Ukraine on its path to EU and NATO membership.
“We are glad to be among friends, and I thank the Parliament and all political groups for their unanimous support of Ukraine and our people.”
The West has until now resisted Ukraine membership of Nato, as it could lead to direct war with Russia.
Today, during my meeting with Speaker of the Parliament of Finland Jussi Halla-aho, leaders of political groups, and heads of parliamentary committees, I spoke about the steps toward a just end to the war.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 19, 2025
Our state, together with its partners, is developing a plan to achieve… pic.twitter.com/P9bDxW04nY
Analysis: Putin demands Ukraine be muzzled and blinded
Wednesday 19 March 2025 16:58
,
Jane Dalton
Mapped: Attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, from nuclear to hydroelectric
Wednesday 19 March 2025 16:38
,
Jane Dalton
Russia’s aerial attacks on Ukrainian electricity and gas systems are estimated to have more than £11 billion in three years:
Four injured in attack on Ukrainian railway, says state railway company
Wednesday 19 March 2025 16:07
,
Alex Croft
Four people were injured in the today’s second attack on railway infrastructure in he Dnipropetrovsk region, Ukraine’s state railway said.
“Four railway workers were injured, two of them in serious condition,” the organisation said. “They are receiving medical assistance.
“The attack was previously carried out by a ballistic missile.
“Railway workers made every effort to ensure that the hostile attacks did not affect the movement of passenger trains.”
Trump hails 'very good' call with Zelensky
Wednesday 19 March 2025 15:47
,
Alex Croft
Donald Trump has hailed a “very good telephone call” with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, which lasted around 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,” Mr Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“We 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. That Statement will be put out shortly.”
Heavyweight boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk visits destroyed energy plant in Ukraine
Wednesday 19 March 2025 15:30
,
Alex Croft
Ukrainian boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk visited a destroyed energy plant in central Ukraine, shortly before Vladimir Putin agreed to immediately halt attacks on energy infrastructure in Ukraine.
Standing among the devastation of the central Ukrainian plant, the 38-year-old heavyweight saw first-hand the effects of Russia’s systematic and repeated attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in its attempt to weaken Kyiv’s war effort.
Usyk visited the site on Monday, just one day before Putin agreed to temporarily halt all attacks on energy infrastructure in a phone call with US president Donald Trump on Tuesday.
Read the full report:
What will Trump and Zelensky be discussing on the phone?
Wednesday 19 March 2025 15:16
,
Alex Croft
In their first talks since late February, presidents Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky will almost certainly be discussing the partial ceasefire agreed by Vladimir Putin yesterday.
The Russian autocrat agreed to halt all attacks on energy infrastructure for around a month during a phone call with Mr Trump on Tuesday.
But Ukrainian authorities accused Russia of striking energy facilities after the city of Slovyansk lost power overnight.
Moscow countered the claims, stating that it called off a drone attack on Ukrainian energy infrastructure and had shot down seven of its own drones. The Kremlin also accused Ukraine of targeting Russian energy targets overnight, including an alleged attack on an oil depot near the village of Kavkazskaya.
Mr Zelensky does not trust that Putin is an honest candidate for peace, and will likely make that clear to the US president.
Speaking on X yesterday about last night’s attacks, he said: “The fact that this night is no exception shows that the pressure on Russia must continue for the sake of peace.
“Today, Putin effectively rejected the proposal for a full ceasefire. It would be right for the world to respond by rejecting any attempts by Putin to prolong the war.”
In pictures: Zelensky visits Finnish president in Helsinki before Trump call
Wednesday 19 March 2025 15:01
,
Alex Croft
Reminder: How Zelensky and Trump's last talks ended in disaster
Wednesday 19 March 2025 14:48
,
Alex Croft
Volodymyr Zelensky is currently speaking with US president Donald Trump for the first time in just under three weeks.
The last time the pair spoke produced one of the most infamous scenes in recent history, when Mr Trump and vice president JD Vance teamed up in a verbal attack of the Ukrainian president, who they accused of not showing enough gratitude to the US for its military support.
News anchors were left open-mouthed as Mr Zelensky was subsequently booted out of the Oval Office by his US counterpart, who told him not to return until he was “ready for peace”.
“You’re playing cards, you’re gambling with the lives of millions of people,” Mr Trump told Ukraine’s war leader. “You’re not in a good position right now,” Mr Zelensky was repeatedly told, in remarks which drew outrage from leaders around the world.
It kicked off when Mr Zelensky - who was officially at the White House to sign a crucial minerals deal with the US - repeatedly reiterated the need for US security guarantees in any future peace settlement, before Mr Vance accused him of not being grateful enough to the US.
Zelensky currently speaking to Trump over the phone
Wednesday 19 March 2025 14:46
,
Alex Croft
President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky are speaking by phone as Kyiv continues to weather attacks on energy infrastructure despite Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s claim to have ordered a halt to such attacks following a phone call with Trump one day earlier.
The White House said the call would take place Wednesday morning, and White House deputy chief of staff Dan Scavino confirmed on X (formerly Twitter) that the two leaders had been connected and were speaking as of 10:38 am ET.
White House correspondent Andrew Feinberg with the full report:
Zelensky confirms 'one of the largest' prisoner swaps
Wednesday 19 March 2025 14:36
,
Alex Croft
Volodymyr Zelensky has confirmed Wednesday’s prisoner exchange, describing it as “one of the largest” which has been held.
A total of 197 Ukrainians were released from Russia, including 175 detainees and 22 who were released “through measures beyond exchanges”.
“Thank you to our Ukrainian POW [prisoner of war] search and exchange team for this important work, for the results that give hope. And we are grateful to all our partners, especially the United Arab Emirates, for making today's exchange possible,” the Ukrainian president wrote on Telegram.
“Ukraine remembers each and every one of our heroes, and we will definitely bring all of our people home.”
Putin wants Trump to formally recognise occupied regions of Ukraine - report
Wednesday 19 March 2025 14:24
,
Alex Croft
President Vladimir Putin wants Donald Trump to formally recognise the four Ukrainian regions occupied by Russian forces, a Russian outlet has reported.
Putin wants his US counterpart to recognise the eastern Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, which have been occupied since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022, Kommersant reported, citing sources who attended a business event with Putin on Tuesday.
Moscow does not fully control any of the four regions.
The Russian autocrat also wants the US to recognise Crimea, southern land seized and annexed by Russia in 2014.
In return for recognition “in the near future”, Putin would not attempt to lay claim to the southern port city of Odesa or any other part of Ukraine, the report added.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday Putin and Trump had not discussed the idea on their Tuesday call.
Russia and Ukraine both release 175 prisoners of war
Wednesday 19 March 2025 14:10
,
Alex Croft
Russia and Ukraine have each released 175 prisoners of war in an exchange finalised during last night’s call between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, the Russian Defence Ministry said.
Moscow handed over an additional 22 badly wounded Ukrainian prisoners, the ministry added, in what it says was a goodwill measure.
The deal, which will see Russian soldiers freed from Ukraine via Belarus, was mediated by the United Arab Emirates.
Downing Street will not say Putin cannot be trusted
Wednesday 19 March 2025 14:02
,
Alex Croft
Political correspondent Archie Mitchell reports live from Westminster:
Downing Street has refused to say Vladimir Putin cannot be trusted after he was accused by Ukraine of attacking energy infrastructure within hours of promising to halt the strikes.
The prime minister’s official spokesman would not be drawn on whether the Russian dictator can be relied on to keep his word as peace talks continue.
But the spokesman said: “That is why we are always going to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position.
“We are going to support Ukraine as long as it needs, both now and in the event of a potential peace deal.
“Clearly we all want to see an end to the fighting, we share president Trump’s ambitions there.
“But you’ve seen from Russia’s barbaric war in Ukraine they will go to any extent to impose suffering on the Ukrainian people.”
Zelensky says he hopes Trump will increase sanctions pressure on Russia
Wednesday 19 March 2025 13:36
,
Holly Evans
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday he hopes President Donald Trump will increase pressure on Russian individuals and entities violating U.S. sanctions.
He made the remark at a talk in Helsinki alongside Finnish President Alexander Stubb, and said Russian President Vladimir Putin will look for any possibility to avoid a full ceasefire with Ukraine.
How many times has Vladimir Putin broken ceasefire agreements with Ukraine?
Wednesday 19 March 2025 13:15
,
Holly Evans
Vladimir Putin has broken his promise to Donald Trump to stop attacking Ukraine’s energy infrastructure just hours after his agreement with the US president.
In a readout of the call between the two leaders, the Kremlin said Mr Trump had requested that Russia refrain from striking energy infrastructure. It added that Mr Putin had responded “positively” to this request and had “immediately given the Russian military the corresponding command”.
But Russia fired several ballistic missiles and nearly 150 drones across Ukraine a few hours later, cutting off electricity in the eastern city of Slovyansk, damaging two medical facilities in the northeast Sumy region, and wounding people in the capital of Kyiv.
Read the full article here:
Report: US ‘deletes evidence’ of Russia’s kidnap of thousands of Ukrainian children
Wednesday 19 March 2025 13:07
,
Alex Croft
An international effort to trace and rescue tens of thousands of children kidnapped from Ukraine to Russia and prosecute those responsible has been crippled by the US state department’s deletion of evidence.
The Trump administration cut funding to Yale University’s Humanitarian Research Lab, which was compiling a database of alleged Russian war crimes, including the abduction of an estimated 35,000 children from occupied areas of Ukraine, last month.
Using satellite imagery and other surveillance systems provided through the US government, the Yale researchers were monitoring 116 sites in Russia.
World affairs editor Sam Kiley with more:
Zelensky calls for the US to have 'control' after strikes on Ukrainian facilities
Wednesday 19 March 2025 13:02
,
Holly Evans
Zelensky, in a joint briefing in Helsinki with Finnish President Alexander Stubb, said Putin's words were not enough and that Ukraine would provide a list of energy facilities it hopes the U.S. and allies would help monitor.
"I really want there to be control. But I believe that the main agent of this control should be the United States of America," he said, adding that Kyiv would be ready to commit to a ceasefire.
"If the Russians will not strike our facilities, then we will definitely not strike theirs," Zelenskiy said.
The Kremlin said on Wednesday that Russia had suspended its attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure after a Tuesday phone call between Putin and Trump and had shot down its own Ukraine-bound drones while they were in the air.
In the call, Putin agreed to stop attacking Ukrainian energy facilities temporarily but declined to endorse a full 30-day ceasefire that Trump hoped would be the first step toward a permanent peace deal.
Germany to release 3 billion euros military aid for Ukraine
Wednesday 19 March 2025 12:51
,
Alex Croft
Germany's outgoing government has agreed to release additional 3 billion euros (£2.5 billion) in military aid for Ukraine this year after lawmakers passed plans for a fiscal overhaul, a finance ministry document seen by Reuters on Wednesday showed.
The move is widely seen as a breakthrough after outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz had insisted on making the easing of borrowing rules a prerequisite for the additional aid.
As uncertainty grows about the future of US security guarantees under President Donald Trump, European states are under increasing pressure to show their commitment to Ukraine in its war with Russia, including with military spending.
Finance Minister Joerg Kukies has informed parliament's budget committee that the requirements for authorisation of the extra funds have been met, according to a submission to the committee from his ministry.
Watch: Ukraine aid not mentioned during Putin call, Trump tells Fox News
Wednesday 19 March 2025 12:36
,
Alex Croft
Editorial | President Putin has outplayed President Trump – now it is not just Ukraine that is at stake
Wednesday 19 March 2025 12:21
,
Alex Croft
An exchange of 175 prisoners of war and some wounded soldiers, talks covering Iran and Israel, Russia’s “legitimate interests” in the field of security and “expert groups” convened to discuss an eventual peace settlement over Ukraine. Even ice hockey games.
There was plenty of ground that presidents Trump and Putin covered during their 90-minute discussion – but only a limited ceasefire, for a month, covering energy and infrastructure, coupled with a proposal to end the flow of arms and intelligence to Ukraine. President Putin has given the least he could possibly get away with to President Trump without actually saying “nyet”. The fighting on the front line goes on.
Nothing that has emerged about Trump’s phone call with Vladimir Putin – one that reportedly went “very well” – suggests that the Russian president is in any hurry to settle the war he started three years ago.
Read more:
