Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speaking at a press conference in Helsinki with Finnish President Alexander Stubb, announced on Wednesday, the 19th of March, that he would speak with US President Donald Trump today after the White House and Kremlin failed to agree on a ceasefire in Ukraine, according to Reuters and Politico.
During his meeting with the Finnish President, he said that Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s “words contradict reality”.
“I will contact President Trump today, we will discuss the details” of his talks with Moscow and the next steps, Zelenskyy added.
The Russian President agreed to temporarily suspend attacks on Ukrainian energy facilities and infrastructure, but refused to support a full 30-day ceasefire, which President Trump hoped would be the first step towards a permanent peace agreement.
ZELENSKYY’S CALL WITH TRUMP WILL BE THE FIRST OFFICIAL DIRECT CONTACT BETWEEN THE TWO LEADERS SINCE THE HEATED TALKS IN THE OVAL OFFICE AT THE END OF LAST MONTH.
Asked about the red lines for a peace agreement with Russia, Zelenskyy stressed Ukraine’s sovereignty and independence, the absence of Russian control over its military forces, strong security guarantees and the exchange of POWs, including the return of those who have been “tortured to death”.
He seemed to reject the return of Crimea or parts of the Donbas, stating: “The territories that are temporarily occupied are temporarily occupied”.
However, Zelenskyy expressed scepticism that Russia would honour any verbal commitments, saying that a “control mechanism” would be needed to make sure that Putin respected the terms of the ceasefire, and that Ukraine would submit a list of energy facilities which it hoped the US and allies would help monitor.
“I really want there to be control. But I believe that the US should be the main enforcer of that control,” he said, adding that Kyiv would be ready to commit to a ceasefire.
“If the Russians will not attack our facilities, then we will certainly not attack their facilities.”
The partial ceasefire announced on Tuesday lasted only an hour as Russia attacked Ukraine with drones and Kyiv responded with a strike on an oil depot in the Krasnodar region.
On Wednesday, the Kyiv air force said it had destroyed 72 of 145 drones fired by Russia overnight, while the Russian defence ministry said its units had shot down 57 Ukrainian drones.