Ukraine President Zelensky to Donald Trump: Back us with weapons if Russia violates truce

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Tuesday (March 25) that a truce with Russia covering the Black Sea and energy strikes had come into effect. However, Zelensky cautioned that Moscow was already distorting the terms of the agreement.

Zelensky also stated that he would seek US President Donald Trump’s support in providing weapons and imposing sanctions on Russia if Moscow violated the agreements.

US brokers separate deals with Kyiv and Moscow

The United States had earlier announced that it had made separate agreements with both Ukraine and Russia to ensure safe navigation in the Black Sea and to halt attacks on energy infrastructure in both nations.

"The U.S. side considers that our agreements come into force after their announcement by the U.S. side," Zelensky said at a news conference in Kyiv. However, he expressed scepticism, saying, "I do not trust Russia to honor the arrangements."

Zelensky accuses Russia of manipulation

Speaking in his nightly video address, Zelensky accused Russia of deceiving the global community.

"Unfortunately, even now, even today, on the very day of negotiations, we see how the Russians have already begun to manipulate," he said.

He also rejected claims from Moscow that linked the Black Sea shipping agreement to sanctions relief for Russia. "They are already trying to distort agreements and, in fact, deceive both our intermediaries and the entire world," he warned.

No clear measures if Russia violates the truce

Zelensky noted that the agreements lacked clear enforcement mechanisms should Russia breach the terms. He stated that in such an event, he would turn to Trump for military assistance and additional sanctions.

"We have no faith in the Russians, but we will be constructive," he added.

The Ukrainian leader also indicated that US officials viewed the energy ceasefire as extending to other civilian infrastructure, including ports.

List of protected facilities and Russia’s commitments

Kyiv has provided US officials with a list of facilities it believes should be covered by the moratorium on energy strikes. The Kremlin, meanwhile, published its own list of Russian and Ukrainian facilities covered under the agreement, including oil refineries, pipelines, and nuclear plants.

Talks in Saudi Arabia lead to agreements

The truce agreements followed two days of discussions in Saudi Arabia involving US officials meeting separately with Ukrainian and Russian representatives.

As part of the deal, the White House announced in a joint statement with Russia that the US would facilitate Moscow’s access to global agricultural and fertilizer markets. However, Zelensky distanced Ukraine from that agreement.

"We believe that this is a weakening of position and sanctions," he said, making it clear that Kyiv had not endorsed that provision.

Kyiv warns against Russian Naval movements

Ukraine’s Defense Minister Rustem Umerov cautioned that Kyiv would view any movement of Russian naval vessels beyond the eastern Black Sea as a violation of the truce.

"In such an event, Kyiv will have the right to self-defense," Umerov wrote on X, implying that Ukraine could retaliate militarily.

Kyiv, which has used naval drones and missiles to push back Russian forces in the Black Sea, called for third-party nations to help implement the agreements to end the war with Russia.

Monitoring the agreements and future oversight

Zelensky suggested that Turkey could be involved in monitoring compliance in the Black Sea, while Middle Eastern nations could oversee the energy truce. However, he acknowledged that no formal discussions had taken place with these nations yet.

"The American side really wanted all of this not to fail, so they did not want to go into many details. But in any case, we will have to understand answers to each of the details," Zelensky said.

Expanded US-Ukraine minerals deal

Separately, Zelensky revealed that the US had presented Ukraine with an expanded version of a bilateral minerals deal. This proposal went beyond the initial framework that had previously stalled following a tense Oval Office meeting last month.

Zelensky stated that he had not yet fully reviewed the new proposal but confirmed that it did not include greater US involvement in Ukraine’s nuclear power sector—a topic that Washington had recently raised.

Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine three years ago. Russia, which has been making advances, now holds around a fifth of Ukraine's territory, including Crimea, which it annexed in 2014, Reuters reported. Russia has previously ruled out territorial concessions and said Ukraine must withdraw entirely from four regions claimed and partly controlled by Russia, according to the report.

(With Reuters inputs)