UKRAINE and Russia have agreed in principle to a limited ceasefire after President Donald Trump spoke with both countries’ leaders this week.

The tentative deal to partly rein in the grinding war came after Russian President Vladimir Putin rebuffed Mr Trump’s push for a full 30-day ceasefire. 

After an hour-long call with President Trump on Wednesday that both leaders said went well, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told reporters that “technical” talks in Saudi Arabia this weekend would seek to resolve what types of infrastructure would be protected under the agreement.

But it was immediately clear that the three parties had different views about what the pact entailed, with the White House saying “energy and infrastructure” would be covered, the Kremlin saying the agreement referred more narrowly to “energy infrastructure” and President Zelensky saying he’d also like railways and ports to be protected.

“One of the first steps toward fully ending the war could be ending strikes on energy and other civilian infrastructure,” Mr Zelensky said on social media following his call with Trump, which came a day after the US president held similar talks with President Putin. 

“I supported this step and Ukraine confirmed that we are ready to implement it.”

During their call, President Trump suggested that Zelensky should consider giving the US ownership of Ukraine’s power plants, supposedly to ensure their long-term security, according to a White House statement from Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz.

Mr Trump told President Zelensky that the US could be “very helpful in running those plants with its electricity and utility expertise,” the statement said.

President Trump suggested “American ownership of those plants could be the best protection for that infrastructure,” according to White House officials. 

The idea was floated even as the Trump administration looks to finalise an agreement to gain access to Ukraine’s critical minerals, under the guise of repayment for US support for Ukraine during the war.