ISTANBUL

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday that he had a “very productive” phone call with US President Donald Trump, thanking him for his support and suggesting that if a ceasefire is possible in the Middle East, “surely other wars can be stopped,” referring to the Russia-Ukraine war.

“A good conversation, very productive,” Zelenskyy said on Telegram.

“I congratulated President Trump on the success and the deal for the Middle East that he actually secured, and that is a strong result. And if it is possible to stop the war in that region, surely other wars can be stopped, including this Russian war,” said the Ukrainian leader.

He said he told Trump about the recent Russian strikes targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and welcomed Washington’s readiness to bolster Kyiv’s air defenses.

“There are good options, strong ideas on how to really strengthen us,” Zelenskyy said, adding that Russia “needs to be ready to participate in genuine diplomacy.”