Trump to Zelenskyy: US should own Ukraine’s nuclear power plants

• President Donald Trump proposed that the U.S. take ownership of Ukraine’s nuclear power plants, suggesting it would enhance security and operational efficiency. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy did not directly address the proposal but emphasized continued U.S.-Ukraine cooperation.
• The plan aligns with ongoing ceasefire efforts and ties into past discussions regarding a U.S.-Ukraine minerals deal, which has been put on hold.
• Trump’s discussion with Zelenskyy followed a separate three-hour meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, centering on partial ceasefire negotiations.

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President Donald Trump has proposed that the United States take ownership of Ukraine’s nuclear power plants, suggesting that American control could help safeguard the country’s energy infrastructure from Russian attacks.

During a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday, March 18, Trump asserted that U.S. management of the facilities would provide both security and operational support.

National security officials support proposal

In a joint statement following the call, national security adviser Mike Waltz and Secretary of State Marco Rubio endorsed the idea, emphasizing that the U.S. has the expertise to effectively manage and protect these plants.

“President Trump also discussed Ukraine’s electrical supply and nuclear power plants. He said that the United States could be very helpful in running those plants with its electricity and utility expertise. American ownership of those plants would be the best protection for that infrastructure and support for Ukrainian energy infrastructure.”

Rubio, Waltz joint statement

The proposal comes amid broader efforts to broker a partial ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia, specifically focused on securing energy infrastructure.

Where previous minerals deal proposal stands

This initiative is also connected to Trump’s previous support for a minerals deal with Ukraine. That deal was put on hold last month after Zelenskyy left the White House earlier than expected without signing an agreement.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that Trump has since “moved beyond” the minerals deal.

When asked whether the minerals deal was discussed on the call with Zelenskyy, Leavitt responded, “Now we have moved beyond the economic minerals deal. We are at a place of peace, we’re at a partial ceasefire, and we’re moving towards a full ceasefire. That’s great news for the American public.”

According to a report by The New York Times, citing anonymous Ukrainian officials, the U.S. still wants access to Ukrainian minerals. The report suggests that securing control over Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, currently occupied by Russian forces on the front lines, is key to extracting these resources.

Zelenskyy’s statement following phone call

Zelenskyy did not directly address the nuclear ownership proposal or the minerals deal in his statement on Wednesday, March 19. However, he expressed continued support for cooperation with the U.S. and stated that peace could be “achieved this year.” This marks a shift from his earlier remarks this month, where he suggested that the end of the war was “very, very far away.”

I had a positive, very substantive, and frank conversation with President of the United States Donald Trump @POTUS. I thanked him for a good and productive start to the work of the Ukrainian and American teams in Jeddah on March 11—this meeting of the teams significantly helped… pic.twitter.com/JFBd5EeIkg

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 19, 2025

Trump-Putin discussions on partial truce

Trump and Zelenskyy’s conversation followed a three-hour discussion Trump held with Russian President Vladimir Putin just a day prior. Their meeting also focused on establishing a partial truce.