Trump Suggests US Could Run Ukraine’s Power Plants in Key Discussion with Zelenskyy

A day after US President Donald Trump had a telephonic discussion with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump on Tuesday held another hour-long phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, which the US president described as “very good”. Following the conversation, Zelenskyy expressed optimism that “lasting peace can be achieved this year” with Trump’s leadership.

The talks covered a range of critical issues, including potential US involvement in Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. According to a statement from the White House, discussions included the possibility of the US overseeing Ukraine’s nuclear power plants, though Zelenskyy later clarified that this specifically referred to the Zaporizhzhia plant, which is currently under Russian control.

During the call, Zelenskyy agreed to a partial ceasefire agreement, which would include halting strikes on critical infrastructure such as energy, rail, and port facilities. However, the Ukrainian president stressed that his country would retaliate if Russia violated the terms of the ceasefire. Zelenskyy explained, “Until we agree on a document for even a partial ceasefire, I think everything will fly,” referring to the ongoing threats from drones and missiles.

Trump also addressed the ceasefire efforts on his social media platform, Truth Social, stating that the call had aimed to align the requests and needs of both Ukraine and Russia and expressing confidence that the peace initiatives were progressing positively.

In a more detailed statement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that Trump had agreed to assist Ukraine in sourcing additional air defense systems, particularly from Europe. The two leaders also discussed closely sharing defense information.

A particularly striking development from the conversation was the discussion of Ukraine’s electrical supply and nuclear power plants. Rubio’s statement revealed that Trump had suggested the US could play a crucial role in managing and operating Ukraine’s power plants, while stressing that American ownership of these plants would serve as the best protection for the country’s critical energy infrastructure.

While Zelenskyy acknowledged the conversation about power plants, he reiterated that the focus had been on the Zaporizhzhia facility.

The phone call has been hailed as a positive step by Zelenskyy, who described the exchange as “frank” and “substantive.”