In a whirlwind of diplomatic activity, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. President Donald Trump shared an optimistic phone call on Wednesday, March 18, 2025, spotlighting a tentative deal struck with Russian President Vladimir Putin just a day earlier. The hourlong conversation, which Trump hailed as “very good” on his Truth Social platform, zeroed in on aligning the needs of Ukraine and Russia following Tuesday’s talks with Putin.
“Just completed a very good telephone call with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine,” Trump posted shortly after hanging up. “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. We are very much on track.”
Zelenskyy echoed the sentiment, calling the exchange “positive, very substantive, and frank” in a detailed social media statement later that afternoon. He expressed gratitude for Trump’s role in kickstarting Ukrainian-American collaboration in Jeddah on March 11, noting that the meeting “significantly helped in moving toward ending the war.”
Zelenskyy added, “We agreed that Ukraine and the United States should continue working together to achieve a real end to the war and lasting peace. We believe that together with America, with President Trump, and under American leadership, lasting peace can be achieved this year.”
The backdrop to this optimism? A partial agreement with Putin on Tuesday, in which Russia pledged to halt strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure for 30 days. However, the ceasefire fell short of the Trump administration’s initial hopes, leaving frontline fighting and civilian areas exposed.
Despite the limited scope, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff remained bullish on Wednesday, predicting a full ceasefire could materialize within weeks. He also hinted at an impending Trump-Putin summit, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and national security advisor Mike Waltz set to jet back to Saudi Arabia on Sunday to iron out Tuesday’s deal.
Meanwhile, a Ukrainian delegation’s potential return to Saudi Arabia for direct talks with Russia remains up in the air.
On the humanitarian front, Putin green-lit a prisoner swap, agreeing to release 175 captives and return 23 “seriously wounded” Ukrainians as a “gesture of goodwill.” Zelenskyy took to X to announce “one of the largest POW exchanges,” sharing an image of freed Ukrainians draped in their nation’s flags. He confirmed the release of 175 soldiers and 22 “defenders,” thanking partners like the United Arab Emirates—though notably omitting U.S. contributions.
Today is another day when Ukraine brings its people back. 175 of our defenders have been released from Russian captivity. Another 22 defenders are returning home through measures beyond exchanges. Among them are severely wounded warriors and those whom Russia persecuted for… pic.twitter.com/r8vI7BiYxn
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 19, 2025
Not everyone’s cheering, though. International leaders expressed dismay that Putin rebuffed a more comprehensive deal Ukraine had accepted last week. Trump, speaking Tuesday on Fox News’ Ingraham Angle with Laura Ingraham, acknowledged the challenge: “Russia has the advantage,” he said, suggesting a full ceasefire push might have been a long shot.
Zelenskyy, for his part, didn’t mince words. In an X post, he declared that “Putin effectively rejected the proposal for a full ceasefire,” pointing to a Tuesday night drone strike on a hospital in Ukraine’s Sumy region as evidence of Russia’s unrelenting aggression.
“It would be right for the world to respond by rejecting any attempts by Putin to prolong the war,” he urged, calling for tougher sanctions, aid to Ukraine, and stronger Western alliances. “Only a real cessation of strikes on civilian infrastructure by Russia, as proof of its willingness to end this war, can bring peace closer.”
As the diplomatic dance continues, all eyes are on whether this fragile momentum can hold—or if the gap between hope and reality will widen once more.
The Fairview Gazette will keep you updated on any news regarding the Ukraine-Russia war.
