Donald Trump suggests Zelenskyy allow US control of Ukrainian power plants

Donald Trump told Zelenskyy that the US could be very helpful in running those plants with its electricity and utility expertise

US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke for about an hour Wednesday (March 19).

 

In a statement issued after their call, the White House said, "Trump in call with Zelenskyy suggested US take ownership of Ukrainian power plants to ensure security." 

 

"Trump told Zelenskyy that the US could be very helpful in running those plants with its electricity and utility expertise," according to a White House statement from Secretary of State Marco Rubio and national security adviser Mike Waltz. 

 

Trump added that American ownership of those plants could be the best protection for that infrastructure.

 

 

The White House added, "Intelligence sharing for Ukraine's defence will continue... Trump also agreed to help Zelenskyy locate air defences in Europe. Technical teams will meet in Saudi Arabia in the coming days... Now focused on long-term peace agreement."  Meanwhile, during the call, Zelenskyy requested additional Patriot defense missile systems. Rubio and Waltz said Trump “agreed to work with him to find what was available, particularly in Europe”, according to a report by Associated Press. 

'Have moved beyond just minerals deal'

 

Karoline Leavitt, the White House spokesperson, has said that the Trump administration is “now focused on a long-term peace agreement”. She added, “We’ve moved beyond just the economic minerals deal framework.”

 

Significantly, Washington has been pushing to secure a deal to access Ukraine’s rare earth minerals in what Trump had described as compensation for the country’s support for Kyiv during the war.

 

To recall, the US and Ukrainian presidents were expected to sign an agreement during Zelenskyy’s visit to the White House last month. However, the plan fell through after the extraordinary Trump-Zelenskyy during the Oval Office meeting. 

Zelenskyy calls conversation 'very substantive'  Ukrainian and US delegations may convene in Saudi Arabia in the coming days to discuss the specifics of a partial ceasefire, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. His remarks followed what he described as a "very substantive" conversation with US President Donald Trump.  

 

"We instructed our teams to resolve technical issues related to implementing and expanding the partial ceasefire. Ukrainian and American teams are ready to meet in Saudi Arabia in the coming days to continue coordinating steps toward peace," Zelenskyy stated on X.   

I had a positive, very substantive, and frank conversation with President of the United States Donald Trump @POTUS. I thanked him for a good and productive start to the work of the Ukrainian and American teams in Jeddah on March 11—this meeting of the teams significantly helped… pic.twitter.com/JFBd5EeIkg

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 19, 2025

 

Describing his discussion with Trump as "positive, very substantive, and frank," Zelenskyy also reiterated Ukraine’s willingness to suspend attacks on Russian infrastructure and uphold an unconditional ceasefire along the frontline, a proposal previously put forward by the US team.  

 

"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," he said.