Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said he had a "very substantive and frank" phone call on Wednesday with US President Donald Trump in which he confirmed his country's readiness to halt strikes on Russian energy infrastructure.
"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," Zelensky said.
The two spoke a day after Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin about ending the war in Ukraine. Though the Kremlin chief appeared to rebuff Trump's proposal, he did agree "on principle" to a partial ceasefire on energy infrastructure right as winter ends.
Teams agree on partial ceasefire
Zelensky confirmed on X/Twitter that he also agreed to the partial ceasefire.
"I supported this step, and Ukraine confirmed that we are ready to implement it," he wrote.
A handout from the US Department of State noted that the Ukrainian president thanked Trump for his humanitarian efforts, including the recent Russian-Ukrainian prisoner exchange.
Trump and Zelensky also discussed Ukraine's electric supply and nuclear power points.
Trump noted that "the United States could be very helpful in running those plants with its electricity and utility expertise. American ownership of those plants would be the best protection for that infrastructure and support for Ukrainian energy infrastructure," the handout said.
The handout noted that Zelensky told Trump that the handover was successful.
"President Zelensky was grateful for the President’s leadership in this effort and reiterated his willingness to adopt a full ceasefire," the handout read.
The Department of State noted that the duo instructed their teams to continue implementing and broadening the ceasefire.
Zelensky noted his support for a full ceasefire in his statement on X/Twitter.
"We agreed that Ukraine and the United States should continue working together to achieve a real end to the war and lasting peace," he wrote. "We believe that together with America, with President Trump, and under American leadership, lasting peace can be achieved this year."
"I stressed that Ukrainians want peace, which is why Ukraine accepted the proposal for an unconditional ceasefire."
Reuters contributed to this report.