Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has one overarching question—and request—following Tuesday's high-stakes phone call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Context
Trump and Putin's call came after weeks of negotiations between U.S., Russian and Ukrainian officials about coming to a ceasefire agreement in Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine.
While both the U.S. and Russia expressed a shared interest in de-escalation, the official readouts of the conversation diverged on key details, particularly regarding the scope of a ceasefire.
Putin agreed to a partial ceasefire—as opposed to a full ceasefire, which both the U.S. and Ukraine had hoped for—and only on the condition that Ukraine not rearm and that all military and intelligence aid to Ukraine be cut off.
What To Know
Zelensky expressed "skepticism" at a news conference after the phone call but conceded that "if there is a partial ceasefire, this is a positive result."
But he stressed the need for complete transparency in the negotiations and posed one key question.
"We need to understand what the conversation is about," Zelensky told reporters, according to the Associated Press. "What are the details? And hopefully, we will be fully informed, and our partners will discuss everything with us."
He added: "There are two sides in this war—Russia and Ukraine. Trying to negotiate without Ukraine, in my view, will not be productive."
This is a developing news story and will be updated as more information is available.
Reporting by the Associated Press contributed to this story.
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This story was originally published March 18, 2025 at 4:55 PM.