Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed on Tuesday that Russia bombed civilian infrastructure in Ukraine following a phone call between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin that had reportedly resulted in a limited ceasefire agreement.
Last week, Ukraine agreed to a 30-day ceasefire and the phone call between Trump and Putin on Tuesday elicited that there would be an “energy and infrastructure ceasefire.”
“The leaders agreed that the movement to peace will begin with an energy and infrastructure ceasefire, as well as technical negotiations on implementation of a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea, full ceasefire and permanent peace,” the White House stated. “These negotiations will begin immediately in the Middle East.”
“Right now, in many regions, you can literally hear what Russia truly needs,” Zelensky posted Tuesday evening on X. “Around 40 ‘Shahed’ drones are in our skies, and air defense is active. Unfortunately, there have been hits, specifically on civilian infrastructure. A direct hit by a ‘Shahed’ drone on a hospital in Sumy, strikes on cities in the Donetsk region, and attack drones currently in the skies over the Kyiv, Zhytomyr, Sumy, Chernihiv, Poltava, Kharkiv, Kirovohrad, Dnipropetrovsk, and Cherkasy regions.”
Right now, in many regions, you can literally hear what Russia truly needs. Around 40 “Shahed” drones are in our skies, and air defense is active.
Unfortunately, there have been hits, specifically on civilian infrastructure. A direct hit by a “Shahed” drone on a hospital in… pic.twitter.com/TKTeB9gaZy
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 18, 2025
“It is these types of nighttime attacks by Russia that destroy our energy sector, our infrastructure, and the normal life of Ukrainians,” he continued. “And the fact that this night is no exception shows that the pressure on Russia must continue for the sake of peace. Today, Putin effectively rejected the proposal for a full ceasefire. It would be right for the world to respond by rejecting any attempts by Putin to prolong the war. Sanctions against Russia. Assistance to Ukraine. Strengthening allies in the free world and working toward security guarantees. And only a real cessation of strikes on civilian infrastructure by Russia, as proof of its willingness to end this war, can bring peace closer.”
According to the Kremlin, Putin declared his “key condition” for reaching peace with Ukraine is a complete halt to military and intelligence support for Ukraine from other countries, the New York Times reported.
