Wed Mar 19 11:30:57 UTC 2025: ## Zelenskyy Denounces Putin’s Ceasefire Promises After Fresh Russian Drone Attacks
**Kyiv, Ukraine (March 19, 2025)** – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sharply criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin’s claimed commitment to halting attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, calling it a “lie” following a fresh wave of overnight drone strikes across the country. The attacks, which damaged a hospital in Sumy and targeted multiple regions, came shortly after a phone call between Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump.
Zelenskyy, speaking at a joint press conference with Finnish President Alexander Stubb in Helsinki, stated that he will discuss the situation with President Trump later today. He emphasized that Ukraine will not concede any temporarily occupied territories to Russia, citing this as a crucial red line in any future negotiations.
The White House characterized the Trump-Putin call as a first step towards peace, expressing hope for a Black Sea maritime ceasefire and eventual end to hostilities. However, there’s no indication Putin altered his preconditions for a peace deal, which are unacceptable to Kyiv.
Despite Putin’s purported agreement to stop targeting energy infrastructure, Russia launched a series of drone attacks targeting civilian areas across Ukraine, including Kyiv, Zhytomyr, Sumy, Chernihiv, Poltava, Kharkiv, Kirovohrad, Dnipropetrovsk, and Cherkasy regions. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed to have intercepted 57 Ukrainian drones over the Azov Sea and several Russian regions. A separate drone attack in Krasnodar, near Crimea, ignited a fire at an oil depot.
Zelenskyy insisted that the continued attacks underscore the need for increased pressure on Russia to prevent Putin from prolonging the war. He stressed that only a complete halt to attacks on civilian infrastructure would signal a genuine desire for peace. The conflicting narratives highlight the ongoing tension and the challenges in achieving a lasting resolution to the conflict.
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