Ukraine offers the U.S. control of Zaporiyia on one condition

In recent weeks, Ukraine and the United States have been in contact via mobile phone to negotiate and establish support strategies in the conflict against Russia. During one of these calls, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed that he offered Donald Trump the opportunity for the U.S. to take control of the occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant if he can return it to Kyiv’s authority through negotiations with Russia.

Possible agreement between Trump and Zelensky

Speaking at a midnight press conference, President Zelensky stated that the discussion focused on the nuclear plant, which is currently under Russian occupation.

“It is dangerous because Russia controls the nuclear plant. It is not operational because Russia does not know how to run it,” he declared. According to the White House press secretary, Trump and Zelensky discussed the possibility of the U.S. taking control of Ukraine’s power plants to ensure their security against Russian threats. However, the White House did not specify if the agreement was limited to the Zaporizhzhia plant, as Zelensky later clarified.

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Zelensky expressed his willingness to let the U.S. take control of the infrastructure, provided that Ukraine successfully recaptures it from Russian forces. “I told Trump that simply regaining the plant is not enough, it needs proper infrastructure, water supply, technical personnel, and several other steps to make it operational within a year and a half or two,” Zelensky said. He added that if Ukraine regains the nuclear plant, he would accept U.S. control, provided they invest in and modernize it after reclaiming it from Russia.

Zelensky requests more weapons

The Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant was not the only topic discussed during the call. The Ukrainian president requested more air defense systems, additional weapons, and ballistic materials from Trump. The White House press secretary confirmed that “the exchange of military intelligence for Ukraine’s defense will continue.”

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Zelensky’s request comes after the U.S. temporarily suspended military aid and intelligence sharing, demanding that Kyiv agree to a 30-day total ceasefire. Ukraine complied, but Trump failed to persuade Putin to agree. In the end, Zelensky proposed that the U.S. take ownership of Ukraine’s nuclear and power plants, arguing that “it would be the best protection and the greatest support for Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.”