More than two weeks after Oval office row, Trump, Zelenskyy hold ‘very good’ call

This marks the first known conversation between Trump and Zelenskyy since their heated Oval Office exchange 19 days ago.

US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held an hour-long phone call on Wednesday, discussing the ongoing war with Russia and recent diplomatic efforts involving Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Trump described the conversation as "very good" and underscored efforts to align the “requests and needs” of both Ukraine and Russia.

In a social media post on Truth Social, he stated, "We are very much on track, and I will ask Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Michael Waltz to provide an accurate description of the points discussed.”

An official statement is expected soon.

The call came a day after Trump’s discussion with Putin, during which the Russian leader reportedly agreed to halt attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure but refused to commit to a broader ceasefire. Despite this assurance, Zelenskyy dismissed Putin’s claims, citing overnight drone strikes on Ukrainian cities.

Speaking in Helsinki alongside Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Zelenskyy said, “Even last night, after Putin’s conversation with Trump, there were 150 drones launched overnight, including on energy facilities.”

The Kremlin, however, accused Ukraine of failing to uphold its side of the truce. Russian government spokesman Dmitry Peskov claimed that Moscow had ceased targeting Ukraine’s power grid, while Kyiv allegedly attacked a Russian energy facility.

The White House framed Trump’s discussions with Putin as part of a broader peace initiative, including a proposed maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea. However, Putin has not relented on key demands, which Ukraine strongly opposes.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a Washington-based think tank, warned that Putin’s conditions equated to “Ukrainian capitulation,” arguing that Russia was using a temporary ceasefire proposal as leverage for concessions.

Finnish President Stubb welcomed Trump’s diplomatic efforts but insisted that Russia must fully halt its aggression. “There are only two ways to respond to the U.S. president’s proposal: it’s a yes or a no—no buts, no conditions,” he said. “Ukraine has accepted a ceasefire without conditions. If Russia refuses, we must strengthen Ukraine and increase pressure on Moscow.”

National Security Advisor Mike Waltz confirmed that he and Russian diplomat Yuri Ushakov are set to meet in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to discuss implementing and expanding the limited ceasefire proposed by Putin. It remains unclear whether Ukrainian officials will participate in the talks.

Shortly after Trump’s call with Putin, air raid sirens sounded in Kyiv as explosions struck the capital. Zelenskyy reported that Russian forces targeted civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, railway lines, and residential areas.

The Russian Defense Ministry claimed its strikes focused on military-linked energy facilities in Ukraine’s Mykolaiv region while refraining from broader attacks following Putin’s orders. Moscow also accused Ukraine of launching drone strikes on an oil transfer station in Russia’s Krasnodar region, causing fires and damaging equipment tied to the Caspian Pipeline Consortium.

Zelenskyy dismissed Russia’s accusations, stating, “Words of a ceasefire aren’t enough.” He reiterated that Ukraine would continue to defend itself as long as Russian attacks persisted.