with the White House suggesting the US could take control of Ukrainian power plants to ensure their security.

Trump told Zelenskyy that the US could be “very helpful in running those plants with its electricity and utility expertise”, according to a White House statement from Secretary of State Marco Rubio and national security adviser Mike Waltz that described the call as “fantastic”. Trump added that “American ownership of those plants could be the best protection for that infrastructure”.

Zelenskyy and Trump discussed in general terms the possibility of a ceasefire, according to a senior Ukrainian official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to comment publicly. During the call, there was an emphasis how any ceasefire process would need to be monitored and that the teams still needed to resolve technical issues, said the official, who characterised the call as “a very good conversation, positive, with the jokes.” (Jamaica Gleaner/AP)