President Trump Proposes U.S. Takeover of Ukrainian Nuclear Plants
President Trump’s latest move shakes Ukraine! Just 24 hours after speaking with Putin, Trump called Zelensky with a shocking proposal—US ownership of Ukraine’s nuclear power plants.
By FRANCE 24
March 21, 2025
President Donald Trump proposed that the United States take control of Ukrainian nuclear power plants to protect them from Russian attacks during a Tuesday call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Zelensky said Kyiv was "ready" to pause attacks on Russia's energy infrastructure, a day after Moscow agreed to halt similar strikes on Ukraine.
'Ending the war'
President Trump also pledged to help Kyiv get more air defense equipment from Europe, and to find Ukrainian children "abducted" by Russia, the statement said.
President Trump to help Zelensky get more air defense from Europe, White House says
US President Donald Trump has pledged to help Ukraine get more air defense equipment from Europe as Kyiv's forces battle Russia, the White House said Wednesday.
In a phone conversation Tuesday, President Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky also agreed that their defense staffs will "share information closely" as the battlefield situation evolves, the White House added.
Summary
The US president earlier said on his Truth Social network that efforts to reach a full truce were "very much on track."
Zelensky said Ukrainian and US officials could meet in coming days for fresh talks in Saudi Arabia, where Russian and American teams are also due to meet early next week.
Russia and Ukraine exchanged 372 prisoners, Moscow said Wednesday, which was planned as a goodwill gesture following the Trump-Putin call.
Russia and Ukraine exchange hundreds of prisoners of war
Europe
Russia and Ukraine on Wednesday announced they had each swapped 175 prisoners in one of the largest exchanges since Moscow launched a full-scale invasion more than three years ago. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly called for an “all-for-all” prisoner exchange.
Kyiv and Moscow however accused each other of continuing attacks.
Ukraine's defense ministry said an overnight barrage of Russian missiles and drones struck the war-battered nation, killing one person and damaging two hospitals.
Ukraine's national railway service said the barrage had hit railway energy infrastructure in the central Dnipropetrovsk region.
Russia's defense ministry reported a "deliberate" Ukrainian attack overnight on an oil depot in the south of the country, which they said was aimed at "derailing" Trump's attempts to broker an end to the fighting.
"These attacks are countering our common efforts," added Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, referring to the US-Russia talks.
'Don't believe Putin'
The major sticking point remains Putin's resistance to a full ceasefire – something that Kyiv and some Western allies say underscores how the Russian leader cannot be trusted.
Putin insisted during his call with President Trump on Tuesday that a full ceasefire was only possible if the West agreed to Moscow's long-standing demand to halt its billions of dollars in military aid for Ukraine.
The Kremlin chief also demanded Ukraine must not be allowed to rearm and must halt mandatory mobilization.
Moscow and Washington were even at odds on the results of the call.
The Kremlin said they only discussed halting power plant attacks, but the White House insisted the talks covered both energy and other civilian infrastructure.
President Trump's overtures to Putin, and indications Washington will no longer guarantee European security, have also spooked Kyiv and the United States's NATO allies.
"I don't believe Putin at all, not a single word. He only understands force," said Kyiv resident Lev Sholoudko, 32.
In Moscow, locals were more optimistic the talks could bring an end to the fighting – to Russia's advantage.
"Definitely this is in our favor," said Moscow resident Larisa, 46.
"There is no other way. What happened in 1945 will happen now," she added, referring to the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
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