Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday amid ongoing large-scale Russian airstrikes targeting Ukraine’s energy and rail infrastructure.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Zelensky described the conversation as “very positive and productive,” noting that he congratulated Trump on his recent Middle East peace deal. “If a war can be stopped in one region, then surely other wars can be stopped as well—including the Russian war,” Zelensky wrote. He added that he had briefed Trump on the latest Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy grid and expressed appreciation for Trump’s willingness to provide support.
“We discussed opportunities to bolster our air defense, as well as concrete agreements that we are working on to ensure this,” Zelensky continued. “There are good options and solid ideas on how to truly strengthen us. There needs to be readiness on the Russian side to engage in real diplomacy—this can be achieved through strength. Thank you, Mr. President!”
The call followed one of the most destructive waves of Russian missile and drone strikes in recent months, which have crippled Ukraine’s energy grid and left millions without power across multiple regions, including the capital, Kiev. Gas supplies have also been disrupted as temperatures drop ahead of winter. Ukrainian officials have admitted that much of the damaged infrastructure cannot be repaired in the short term.
While Russia has regularly targeted Ukraine’s energy network since late 2022, the recent strikes have been among the most intense of the war, also hitting critical rail lines and gas production facilities that had previously remained largely untouched.
Trump, who had initially expressed skepticism about U.S. involvement in Ukraine, has recently shifted his rhetoric, saying he believes Ukraine “can win the war.” Over the past month, he has publicly discussed the possibility of supplying Kiev with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles—potentially to strike strategic targets deep inside Russia. However, no concrete decision has been made.
Meanwhile, Ukraine continues to conduct retaliatory drone and rocket strikes on Russian oil refineries and power facilities, with Moscow’s Defense Ministry stating that its recent attacks were in direct response to Ukrainian operations inside Russian territory.ky