Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has emphasized the necessity of U.S. oversight regarding any potential ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia, particularly concerning energy infrastructure. In his remarks, he conveyed that the United States should take on a monitoring role to ensure the integrity of any agreements.
These comments were made ahead of a scheduled phone call between President Zelensky and President Trump this afternoon. In a recent development, Russian President Vladimir Putin consented to a temporary halt in attacks on Ukrainian energy facilities. However, he did not agree to President Trump’s proposal for a comprehensive 30-day ceasefire, which had been envisioned as a step toward a sustainable peace deal.
Both Moscow and Kyiv have accused each other of conducting airstrikes that ultimately damaged critical infrastructure within hours of the limited ceasefire agreement aimed at protecting energy facilities. As President Zelensky stated, “I truly want oversight, but I believe that the United States should be the principal entity for this oversight,” affirming Ukraine’s readiness to commit to a ceasefire.
“If the Russians refrain from targeting our facilities, then we will reciprocate,” he added, highlighting a commitment to mutual restraint.
Earlier reports from Kyiv’s air defense indicated that they had successfully intercepted 72 out of 145 drones launched by Russia overnight, while Russian military forces claimed to have downed 57 Ukrainian drones in response.
In another piece of hopeful news, Russia and Ukraine confirmed the exchange of 372 prisoners, which marked one of the rare instances of cooperation between the two nations since the onset of the conflict in early 2022. The Kremlin disclosed the swap following discussions between Presidents Trump and Putin.
The Russian defense ministry reported that they handed over 175 Ukrainian soldiers and 22 “seriously wounded” captives, with Kyiv returning 175 Russian soldiers in exchange. President Zelensky hailed this exchange as one of the most significant during the ongoing war and noted that some of the Ukrainians released had been subjected to persecution for “fictitious crimes.” He emphasized that several of these individuals had defended the southern city of Mariupol during its brutal siege.
Zelensky has called for a comprehensive exchange of all prisoners as part of ceasefire negotiations, expressing gratitude to the UAE for its mediating efforts and making a firm commitment to return all detained individuals.
On Russia’s side, the return of the wounded Ukrainian prisoners was framed as a “gesture of goodwill.” However, Zelensky noted that the nearly two dozen Ukrainians were brought back “through measures outside of exchanges,” without further clarification.
“All Russian soldiers are currently in Belarus, where they are receiving necessary psychological and medical support and have the opportunity to connect with their families,” the Russian defense ministry stated.
Meanwhile, European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas asserted that Russia remains an unreliable partner for peace. “If you analyze the readouts from the call, it’s clear that Russia does not genuinely wish to make any concessions,” she commented during a briefing in Brussels. Ukraine has accused Russia of effectively dismissing the ceasefire proposal, noting a flurry of attacks on civilian infrastructure just hours after a temporary ceasefire was agreed upon.
The United States continues to advocate for an immediate 30-day ceasefire as a pathway to conclude the ongoing conflict. Nevertheless, during his call, President Putin maintained that a comprehensive agreement would be contingent upon the West ceasing all military and intelligence support to Ukraine.
Though yesterday’s conversation did not yield the full-scale ceasefire sought by Ukraine, it did result in a limited commitment to pause attacks on energy infrastructure for a period of 30 days, with both nations also set to exchange 175 prisoners today as a goodwill gesture, with further discussions slated to occur immediately in the Middle East.
Explosions were reported, and air raid sirens blared across Ukraine mere hours following the communications between Presidents Trump and Putin. President Zelensky lamented, “There have been strikes on civilian infrastructure,” including an attack on a hospital in Sumy. He stated, “These nighttime assaults by Russia wreak havoc on our energy sector, our infrastructure, and the daily lives of Ukrainians.” He further asserted, “By effectively rejecting the proposal for an all-encompassing ceasefire, Putin has shown a lack of readiness to end this conflict.”
Across the border, Russian emergency officials disclosed that debris from a thwarted Ukrainian drone attack had ignited a fire at an oil depot in the village of Kavkazskaya. In Kyiv, wearied by war, Ukrainians are understandably skeptical of Russia’s willingness to end hostilities.
President Trump, who claims to have an “understanding” with President Putin, is pursuing a campaign promise to mediate a resolution to the Ukraine conflict. He shocked many in February by announcing direct talks with Russia, raising concerns among allies about potential concessions. Following his recent conversation with Putin, Trump described it as “good and productive,” stating, “We agreed to an immediate ceasefire on all energy and infrastructure, with the understanding that we will work swiftly toward a complete ceasefire and ultimately, an end to this very tragic war.”
It’s important to note that since the conflict began, Russia has consistently targeted Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, while Ukraine has utilized drones to attack several Russian oil installations. Moscow has also indicated that a more extensive ceasefire hinges upon its longstanding demands for a comprehensive cessation of Western military aid and intelligence support for Ukraine, along with assurances that Ukraine would not rearm or mobilize during any truce.
In a televised interview following the Trump-Putin call, U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff acknowledged lingering “details to work out,” including discussions regarding a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea and the pursuit of an eventual comprehensive truce.
Read more: Russia agrees to pause strikes on Ukraine energy targets for 30 days
Edited By Ali Musa
Axadle Times International – Monitoring.
