Zelensky Backs Trump Proposal To Halt All Strikes On Energy Facilities

Update(1220ET): Fresh off a Wednesday morning phone call with President Trump, Zelensky has said that he backs the US proposal to halt all strikes on energy facilities in the context of the Ukraine war, according to Bloomberg. Still, he has at the same time vowed to ‘win this war’.

Just hours prior, overnight, Ukrainian drones had targeted a Russian oil facility in Krasnodar Region, resulting in damage and a large fire at a oil tank. The one-hour phone call was described as “very good” by Trump on Truth Social.

“Much of the discussion was based on the call made yesterday with President Putin in order to align both Russia and Ukraine in terms of their requests and needs,” the president wrote.

“We are very much on track, and I will ask Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, to give an accurate description of the points discussed.”

If the tit-for-tat strikes on energy facilities actually halt for the 30-day period, this could indeed jump-start other major agreements, a first in the war.

* * *

During Tuesday’s Trump-Putin phone call, which lasted some 90-minutes, the White House said that President Putin committed to a halt of attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure for a period of 30-days. The Kremlin readout also appeared to acknowledge and agree to this.

Less than 24 hours later, Russia has accused Ukraine of already breaking the Trump agreement. Russia’s defense ministry on Wednesday said Ukraine attack an oil transfer facility in Russia’s Krasnodar Region that services an international pipeline operation partially owned by American investors.

The ministry described that the overnight attack saw three kimikaze drones target the site near the village of Kavkazskaya. The site transfers crude to a pipeline operated by the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), an international firm which has among its partners US giants Chevron and Mobil, Russia’s RT notes.

The drone impact reportedly set fire to an oil reservoir, which has reportedly taken emergency crews a long time to extinguish. Local reports say crews are still battling the blaze.

Moscow is describing the attack as part of an intentional efforts to thwart any advancement of a peace or ceasefire agreement between Russia and the US.

“Clearly, this was a premeditated provocation by the Kiev regime aimed at derailing the US president’s peace initiative,” the Russian military stated soon after.

There indeed doesn’t appear to be any meaning ceasefire on at the moment, but the concession Trump was able to get from Putin marks a first of the war…

Ceasefire, what ceasefire? Russia kept pummeling Ukrainian cities overnight, hitting a hospital in Sumy among other targets. Ukraine struck a key Russian crude oil pipeline facility in northern Caucasus. Photo left — Ukrainian hospital. Video — the Kavkazskaya pumping facility. pic.twitter.com/oZpADfPA48

— Yaroslav Trofimov (@yarotrof) March 19, 2025

The Russian readout of Tuesday’s Trump call included the following: “During the conversation, Trump proposed a mutual agreement between both sides to refrain from striking energy infrastructure for 30 days. Putin welcomed the initiative and immediately instructed the Russian military to comply.”

However, Russia has yet to agree to refrain from other attacks, and is likely to continue hitting Ukraine hard so long as drones keep flying across the border.

Ukraine’s Zelensky says he soon expects to hold a phone call with President Trump. His position has remained that nothing can be agreed to ceasefire-wise without Kiev’s direct participation and input.

Below are more geopolitical developments on Wednesday, via Newsquawk:

* * *

Geopolitics: Middle East

• Israeli army attacked Khan Yunis and conducted heavy shelling in the southern Gaza Strip, according to Al Jazeera.
• Hamas leader said continuation of the Israeli bombardment of Gaza will lead to the death of many Israeli prisoners and the movement is communicating with mediators to force Israel to respect its commitments to the ceasefire.
• US bombed targets in areas east of Hodeidah in Yemen and there were at least 10 US strikes that targeted areas in Yemen, according to Houthi media.

Geopolitics: Ukraine

• Russia’s Medvedev said the Putin-Trump call showed there is only Russia and the US in the ‘dining room’ eating a ‘Kyiv-style cutlet’ as a main course.
• US Special Envoy Witkoff said talks with Russia on the Ukraine war will take place on Sunday in Jeddah.
• Ukrainian President Zelensky said Russia launched over 40 drones targeting civilian infrastructure and it is precisely such night attacks by Russia that destroy Ukraine’s energy and civilian infrastructure. Zelensky added the fact that Tuesday night attacks were no exception shows the need to continue pressure on Russia for the sake of peace, as well as noted that Russian President Putin de facto rejected the proposal for a complete ceasefire and it would be right for the world to reject any attempts by Putin to drag out the war in response.
• UK PM Starmer spoke with Ukrainian President Zelensky on Tuesday evening and discussed progress US President Trump had made towards a ceasefire in talks with Russia, according to Downing Street.
• Regional governor in Russia’s Belgorod region said the situation remains difficult, a day after Russia said its forces had thwarted Ukrainian attempts to push across the border in Belgorod. It was separately reported that a drone attack sparked a fire at an oil depot in Russia’s Krasnodar region, according to regional authorities.
• UK Foreign Secretary said the EU and UK are to accelerate shipments of arms to Ukraine ahead of a potential full ceasefire, according to Bloomberg.
• Russian Defence Ministry says Ukraine attacked Russia’s energy infrastructure overnight, according to IFAX; CPC Kropotkinskaya oil pumping station stopped operating after damage, according to Tass.
• Ukraine State Railways in the Dnipropetrovsk region says Russian forces have attacked its power system on Wednesday morning.
• Finland President Stubb says if Russia refuses to agree, will need to increase its efforts to strengthen Ukraine and ratchet up pressure on Russia to convince it to come to the negotiating table.
• Ukrainian President Zelensky says he hopes a ceasefire will eventually be implemented; says Russian President Putin’s words are at “odds with reality”, in relation to the halt on energy strikes. Will speak to US President Trump on Wednesday.

Geopolitics: Other

• US Secretary of State Rubio warned unless Venezuela’s government accepts a flow of deportation flights, the US will impose new and escalating sanctions, while Venezuela’s government said sanctions are an economic war and responsible for hardships.

*  *  *

Grow your own food with HEIRLOOM SEEDS (39 varieties – 4,500 seeds) from ZH Store!  Free shipping in the USA.