Marco Rubio, Secretary of State
NSA
Waltz
March 19, 2025
Today, President Donald J.
Trump and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a
fantastic phone conversation. President Zelenskyy thanked
President Trump for a productive start for the work of the
Ukrainian and American teams in Jeddah on March 11th. The
meeting of the senior officials from both nations
significantly helped in moving toward ending the
war.
President Zelenskyy thanked President Trump for
the support of the United States, especially the Javelin
missiles that President Trump was first to provide, and his
efforts towards peace. The leaders agreed Ukraine and
America will continue working together to bring about a real
end to the war, and that lasting peace under President
Trump’s leadership can be achieved.
President Trump
fully briefed President Zelenskyy on his conversation with
Russian President Vladimir Putin and the key issues
discussed. They reviewed the situation in Kursk and agreed
to share information closely between their defense staffs as
the battlefield situation evolved. President Zelenskyy asked
for additional air defense systems to protect his civilians,
particularly Patriot missile systems, President Trump agreed
to work with him to find what was available particularly in
Europe.
The two leaders also agreed on a partial
ceasefire against energy. 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.
They agreed this could be the first step toward the full end
of the war and ensuring security. President Zelenskyy was
grateful for the President’s leadership in this effort and
reiterated his willingness to adopt a full
ceasefire.
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President Trump also discussed Ukraine’s
electrical supply and nuclear power plants. He said that the
United States could be very helpful in running those plants
with its electricity and utility expertise. American
ownership of those plants would be the best protection for
that infrastructure and support for Ukrainian energy
infrastructure.
President Zelenskyy also thanked
President Trump for continuing to push humanitarian
concerns, including the exchange of POWs. He noted they had
just had a successful exchange and thanked the President for
his leadership. President Trump also asked President
Zelenskyy about the children who had gone missing from
Ukraine during the war, including the ones that had been
abducted. President Trump promised to work closely with both
parties to help make sure those children were returned
home.
They agreed all parties must continue the effort
to make a ceasefire work. The Presidents noted the positive
work of their advisors and representatives, especially
Secretary Rubio, National Security Advisor Waltz, Special
Envoy Kellogg, and others. The Presidents instructed their
teams to move ahead with the technical issues related to
implementing and broadening the partial ceasefire. The
Presidents instructed their advisors and representatives to
carry out this work as quickly as possible. The Presidents
emphasized that in further meetings, the teams can agree on
all necessary aspects of advancing toward lasting peace and
security.
