Trump vows to help Ukraine with additional Patriot air defense – White House
US President Donald Trump promised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to cooperate in finding Patriot air defense systems for Ukraine, the White House announced following a phone conversation between the two leaders on 19 March.
“President Trump agreed to work with him to find what was available, particularly in Europe,” the White House reported.
Trump and Zelenslyy held a phone conversation on 19 March over the a 30-day ceasefire agremeent. It was reportedly the first personal conversation betweet Trump and Zelenskyy after the clash in the Oval Office on 28 Feb., and after the Trump-Putin’s phone talks, which occured a day before, on 18 March.
After the call, Putin claimed that he had agreed to a 30-day ceasefire on strikes on energy infrastructure. However, the same night, overnight on 19 March, Russia carried out a large-scale drone attack that targeted energy infrastructure and other facilities.
Trump briefed Zelenskyy about his conversation with Putin. The US and Ukrainian presidents agreed on a “partial ceasefire against energy.”
Trump called his conversation with Zelenskyy “very good” and noted that a significant part of it was based on his conversation yesterday with Putin “with the aim of reconciling the requests and needs of Russia and Ukraine.”
Zelenskyy said they agreed to discuss technical details of a partial truce – refraining from strikes on energy and civilian infrastructure.
Technical teams reportedly will meet in Saudi Arabia in the coming days “to discuss broadening the ceasefire to the Black Sea, on the way to a full ceasefire,” according to the White House.
Read also:
- Former British PM Johnson: Putin seeks ways to make Ukraine “vassal state”
- Russia claims adherence to energy strike truce after Trump-Putin call while accusing Ukraine of violations
- Russia claims it intercepted own drones after Trump-Putin call orders energy strike pause
You could close this page. Or you could join our community and help us produce more materials like this.
We keep our reporting open and accessible to everyone because we believe in the power of free information. This is why our small, cost-effective team depends on the support of readers like you to bring deliver timely news, quality analysis, and on-the-ground reports about Russia's war against Ukraine and Ukraine's struggle to build a democratic society.
A little bit goes a long way: for as little as the cost of one cup of coffee a month, you can help build bridges between Ukraine and the rest of the world, plus become a co-creator and vote for topics we should cover next. Become a patron or see other ways to support.
