Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has dismissed Russian President Vladimir Putin‘s verbal assurances about limiting attacks on energy infrastructure, saying that only tangible actions can pave the way for peace. His remarks come after a phone call with US President Donald Trump on Wednesday, during which they discussed ongoing efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war.
The conversation between Zelenskyy and Trump followed Trump’s call with Putin to agree to a 30-day ceasefire, a proposal backed by the US and Ukraine. While Putin declined the full ceasefire, he agreed to a temporary halt in attacks on energy infrastructure.
Trump described his call with Zelenskyy as “very good” in a social media post, noting that much of the discussion centred around aligning Ukraine and Russia on their respective needs. He added that secretary of state Marco Rubio and national security advisor Michael Waltz would soon release a statement detailing the key points from the conversation.
Zelenskyy also characterised the call as productive and confirmed that discussions for a new meeting between Ukrainian and US delegations were underway. However, speaking at a press conference alongside Finnish President Alexander Stubb, he stressed that verbal commitments from Putin were insufficient.
“Just assurances and only Putin’s words that he orders not to strike energy facilities—that is not enough,” Zelenskyy said, according to ABC News. “Why? Because, unfortunately, this war has made us very practical people.”
Zelenskyy revealed that Ukraine is preparing a formal list of civilian, energy, and infrastructure sites to be deemed off-limits in any potential agreement. “If the Russians do not strike our facilities, we will certainly not strike theirs,” he said, emphasising that a mutual and enforceable agreement was necessary.
Despite the Trump-Putin call, the conflict raged on. Overnight, Ukraine reported a Russian drone attack on a hospital, while Moscow accused Kyiv of targeting an oil depot. The continued hostilities prompted Zelenskyy to reiterate that only a genuine halt to Russian attacks on civilian infrastructure could indicate a sincere effort to end the war.
Zelenskyy also criticised the international response to Putin’s refusal to implement a full ceasefire. “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,” he declared on Tuesday.
He called for increased sanctions on Russia, further military assistance for Ukraine, and strengthened support for allies. “Only a real cessation of strikes on civilian infrastructure by Russia, as proof of its willingness to end this war, can bring peace closer,” Zelenskyy emphasized.
The latest phone call between Trump and Zelenskyy marks their first direct conversation since a tense Oval Office meeting last month, where Trump accused Ukraine of being unprepared for peace negotiations. That encounter resulted in a temporary suspension of US military aid and intelligence-sharing with Kyiv, which was later reinstated following Ukraine’s agreement to a 30-day truce in Saudi-brokered talks last week.
While Trump had been optimistic about securing a ceasefire, he later admitted in a Fox News interview that achieving one would have been “tough.” The Kremlin, following Tuesday’s call, cited concerns about effectively controlling a ceasefire along the front lines and reiterated its demand for a complete cessation of Western military aid to Ukraine as a condition for ending the war.
Zelenskyy, however, remained firm in his stance. “Sanctions against Russia. Assistance to Ukraine. Strengthening allies in the free world and working toward security guarantees—these are the necessary steps to truly move toward peace.”