Zelensky warns on concessions to Moscow ahead of Trump call

HELSINKI

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned Wednesday against heeding the Kremlin's calls to halt military aid for his country, announcing that he would speak with U.S. President Donald Trump later in the day.

Russian President Vladimir Putin issued the demand after a call with Trump on Tuesday, part of a rapprochement initiated by Washington that seeks to broker a ceasefire more than three years into the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

"I do not believe that we should make any concessions in terms of assistance for Ukraine, but rather there should be an increase in assistance for Ukraine," Zelensky said at a press conference with his Finnish counterpart Alexander Stubb.

The call between Trump and Putin failed to secure the breakthrough ceasefire that Ukraine has been pushing for, after it endorsed the U.S.-led proposal last week.

But the Kremlin said it agreed to halt Russian strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, and Zelensky said he hoped to learn details during a call with Trump.

"Today I will have contacts with President Trump and we will discuss the next steps," Zelensky said.

He also said Washington should take a lead role in overseeing any agreement leading to a halt in Russian and Ukrainian attacks on energy infrastructure.

"The United States should be the main controlling entity," Zelensky said. "If the Russians don't hit our targets, we will definitely not hit their targets."

Putin told Trump earlier that for a full ceasefire to work, Ukraine must not be allowed to rearm and must halt mandatory mobilisation, which Kiev says would leave it vulnerable to further Russian attacks.

Kremlin accuses Kiev of 'countering efforts' to end conflict

The Kremlin accused Ukraine of countering U.S.-Russia efforts to resolve the conflict between Moscow and Kiev

"Unfortunately, so far see there has been no reciprocity on the part of the Kyiv regime. There were attempts to strike our energy infrastructure," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. "These attacks are countering our common (Russian-American) efforts."