US President Donald Trump proposed a ceasefire agreement with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday, suggesting that the US could own and run Ukraine’s nuclear power plants as part of the deal. However, just hours later, Russian President Vladimir Putin walked back his earlier offer to halt strikes on Ukraine, launching a barrage of missiles and drones.
Zelenskyy expressed skepticism about Putin’s intentions, saying that Russia’s actions were “at odds with reality” after an overnight attack killed one person and damaged two hospitals. The Ukrainian president also stated that he expects any ceasefire to apply not only to energy facilities but also to civilian infrastructure.
European leaders reacted skeptically to the Trump-Putin ceasefire idea, with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas calling Putin’s demands “not really want to make any kind of concessions”. The EU has proposed providing Ukraine with two million rounds of large-calibre artillery ammunition and plans to buy more weapons in the bloc rather than from the US.
In a surprise move, Ukraine received its first F-16 fighter jets on Wednesday. The European Commission also announced plans to fund Ukraine’s access to satellite services from EU-based commercial providers, aiming to diversify its sources of space-based services and enhance its resilience.
As the conflict continues, Putin’s words and actions remain at odds, leaving many questioning his sincerity about seeking a peaceful end to the three-year-old conflict.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/20/ukraine-war-briefing-trump-wants-zaporizhzhia-power-plant-for-us