The U.S. President ‘fully briefed’ Zelensky on his call with Putin.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke on the phone on Wednesday, a day after Trump talked with the Russian President Vladimir Putin. Zelensky described the call as a “positive, very substantive and frank conversation.”

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While the development marks progress, key details remain unclear. What was decided? Where do the three sides still disagree? And what cards do Zelensky and Putin hold as negotiations continue? Here is what we know and what remains unclear so far.

WHAT HAPPENED?

According to a statement from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, Trump “fully briefed” Zelensky on his call with Putin. Trump and Zelensky “agreed on a partial ceasefire against energy.”

U.S. and Ukrainian “technical teams 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,” it added.

Trump and Zelensky also discussed the situation in Kursk and “agreed to share information closely between their defense staffs as the battlefield situation evolved,” read the statement.

During the phone call, Zelensky asked for additional air defense systems, particularly Patriot missile systems. Trump agreed to work with him to find what was available, particularly in Europe.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed at a press briefing later on Wednesday that all intelligence sharing between the United States and Ukraine will continue.

Meanwhile, Russia and Ukraine exchanged 175 prisoners on Wednesday, a swap that followed the Trump-Putin phone call, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

WHAT’S UNCLEAR

It was not immediately clear how or when a pause in strikes on certain targets would take hold. “Everything will continue to fly” until “there is an appropriate document” negotiating terms, Zelensky said in a news conference later from Finland.

Zelensky said Ukraine has begun talks with the White House about its possible involvement in restoring the Zaporizhzhia plant, one of Europe’s largest nuclear power plants, which has been shut down since Russian troops occupied it in 2022.

During the call, Trump floated the idea that the U.S. could help run and possibly own Ukrainian power plants. But Ukrainian nuclear energy expert Olga Kosharna warned that Ukrainian law prohibits their privatization.

After speaking to Trump, Zelensky posted on social platform X, expressing his support for “ending strikes on energy and other civilian infrastructure.” However, the White House statement on Wednesday did not mention that the partial ceasefire would apply to civilian infrastructure as Zelensky suggested.

WHAT’S NEXT

The New York Times reported that “Zelensky has little leverage,” as Ukraine relies on U.S. military and economic support, putting him in an awkward position where Trump could push for “unwanted concessions.”

While Zelensky reiterated his willingness to adopt a complete ceasefire, Putin proposed a more limited deal focused on energy infrastructure instead. Analysts warn that such an agreement could favor Moscow, as Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries have intensified.

However, the lack of trust between Ukraine and Russia shows how tenuous any deal will be. On Wednesday, the two countries traded accusations of attacks against each other’s energy infrastructure, media reported.

Speaking alongside Finnish President Alexander Stubb on Wednesday, Zelensky called for an “unconditional ceasefire” as a first step toward a fair and just peace. He reiterated that Ukraine would not accept Russian control over occupied territories and demanded the release of thousands of Ukrainian prisoners held in Russia.

Reinforcing Zelensky’s stance, President Stubb said the EU is in a position to help Ukraine, and the priority should be Kiev’s right to choose its “own future and destiny.” Zelensky has insisted that Ukraine must be part of any future peace negotiations.

“I don’t want us to be on Putin’s menu… We are not a salad… We are an independent state. Without us, I think it’s wrong to negotiate,” he said.

teleSUR/ JF

Source: Xinhua

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