…as Trump floats US ownership of Ukraine’s power plants
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy agreed Wednesday to a limited ceasefire between Kyiv and Moscow, as U.S. President Donald Trump suggested during a call with the embattled country’s leader that he consider American ownership of Ukraine’s power plants to ensure their long-term security.
Trump told Zelenskyy that the U.S could be “very helpful in running those plants with its electricity and utility expertise,” according to a White House statement from Secretary of State Marco Rubio and national security adviser Mike Waltz that described the call as “fantastic.”
“One of the first steps toward fully ending the war could be ending strikes on energy and other civilian infrastructure,” Zelenskyy said on social media following the roughly hourlong call, which came a day after Trump held similar talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. “I supported this step, and Ukraine confirmed that we are ready to implement it.”
Trump suggested “American ownership of those plants could be the best protection for that infrastructure,” according to White House officials. The idea was floated even as the Trump administration looks to finalize an agreement to gain access to Ukraine’s critical minerals as partial repayment for U.S. support for Ukraine during the war.
