Zelenskyy, Trump to speak as air attacks mar ceasefire talks

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday said he and United States President Donald Trump will connect Wednesday to discuss Trump’s recent talk with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Zelenskyy also said Russian Shahed drones—Iranian-made, one-way attack drones—continued to hit civilian infrastructure, including energy facilities, overnight, according to a translation of his news conference in Finland. Those strikes came despite Putin’s Tuesday agreement to a 30-day ceasefire on energy facilities. Putin earlier ordered his military not to strike those types of facilities, according to a Kremlin news release.

What did Russia say? Meanwhile, Russia’s Defense Ministry accused Kyiv of undermining negotiations by attacking an oil facility in Russia early on Wednesday morning, according to a translation of a social media post.

What comes next? Talks between the United States and Russia on a maritime ceasefire and subsequent full ceasefire plan are expected to start soon in the Middle East, according to a Tuesday statement from the White House.

What else did the Ukrainian president say? Zelenskyy indicated that Ukraine would not recognize Russian-occupied territories within Ukraine’s borders as being Russian. A planned prisoner swap between Russia and Ukraine will still take place Wednesday, Zelenskyy said, The Kyiv Independent reported.

What else did Zelenskyy accomplish in Finland? The Ukrainian leader met with the president of Finland to discuss military aid to Ukraine and sign a new agreement to build more civilian bomb shelters. Finland recently announced another arms assistance package for Ukraine and began commissioning new weapons to donate for the first time, rather than giving Ukraine surplus stocks.

Dig deeper: Read my previous report on Trump’s call with Putin on Tuesday.