Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been speaking in Norway – appearing to set out red lines on Crimea and nuclear power. Earlier, he said Russian strikes overnight expose Vladimir Putin’s “true attitude towards peace”. Watch and follow below for the latest.
Thursday 20 March 2025 15:05, UK
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Donald Trump has started speaking remotely at a digital summit in New York.
The US president often takes the opportunity to speak about the war in Ukraine in front of the cameras, so we’ll keep across what he says just in case he turns to the conflict.
You can watch along in the YouTube live stream below.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy is having a busy day.
Before his news conference in Norway, he posted on Telegram summing up his address to the EU’s European Council meeting earlier.
He said it is “necessary” that European support for Ukraine “does not decrease, but rather continues and increases”.
The Ukrainian leader called for particular help with air defence and funding for artillery shells – asking specifically for 5bn euros for this ammunition.
“Everything needed to protect the continent must be produced here, in Europe. We must work on this together,” he said.
He went on to say Europe could benefit from Ukraine’s use of drones and electronic warfare for its defence.
Zelenskyy also urged the EU not to ease sanctions pressure on Russia.
“Sanctions must remain in place until Russia begins to withdraw its troops from our soil and fully compensates for the damage caused by its aggression,” he said.
Talks on a ceasefire should not lead to an easing of pressure, he stressed.
The news conference between Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store has now wrapped up in Oslo.
But after Russia and Ukraine exchanged further overnight strikes, our security and defence editor Deborah Haynes says “the war rages on”.
Haynes explains it was interesting to see Zelenskyy go out of his way to describe how the Ukrainians have been “absolutely on board” with the US ceasefire proposal.
She says Zelenskyy is “clearly underlining the fact the Ukrainians see themselves correctly as the country that was invaded”.
“The Ukrainians want the war to end, but they want it to end but they want it to end on terms that are fair and durable,” she adds.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy is now asked about reports that Donald Trump is considering recognising Crimea as Russian territory in a bid to satisfy Vladimir Putin.
He’s asked specifically on whether he’s discussed this with Trump.
“That is a Ukrainian peninsula, President Trump did not raise this with me,” he says.
Russia annexed Crimea in 2014.
He did say that in a previous call with the US president he outlined why Ukraine sees it as integral.
Interestingly, in a move that could be interpreted by some as a bid to appeal to Trump’s real estate background, he starts talking about the potential for tourism if it was back in Kyiv’s hands.
“You can do many things. Five star hotels, many different buildings,” he says, but without Ukrainians, the tourists won’t come.
Zelenskyy adds the area is declining in Russian hands.
“Everything is just dying out.”
Volodymyr Zelenskyy is now asked a question about the Zaporizhzhia power plant.
It comes after Donald Trump’s administration suggested the US could take over the running of Ukraine’s nuclear power plants as a form of security guarantee, following the Trump-Zelenskyy call this week.
“American ownership of those plants would be the best protection for that infrastructure and support for Ukrainian energy infrastructure.”
Marco Rubio and Mike Waltz readout of Trump-Zelenskyy call
“All nuclear power plants belong to the people of Ukraine,” Zelenskyy says.
“These are state-owned nuclear power plants, it is not private property in Ukraine.”
Zelenskyy is defiant in his answer over whether the US could control the power stations, stating he told Trump that the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant won’t work unless it’s under Ukrainian control.
“If the Americans want to take the station from the Russians and they want to invest there and modernise it, that is a completely different issue,” he says.
“We are open to discuss it, but the issue of property we definitely did not discuss with President Trump.”
The Norwegian and Ukrainian leaders are now taking questions from journalists following their news conference.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy is asked first on the specifics of the limited ceasefire deal – and what is covered under it.
Zelenskyy says the ceasefire covers energy systems of both countries.
“That means no attacks on the energy infrastructure as well as other civilian infrastructure,” he says.
He adds that he has been drawing up a list of buildings that must not be targeted by Putin, that he will give to the Americans to hand over to the Russians.
“Let’s hope the parties will agree with that,” he says, noting that there will likely be further clarity after talks in Saudi on Monday.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy praises Norway’s decision to increase support to Ukraine to almost $8bn.
“It truly adds up to our long term confidence, and it is a very strong, very powerful contribution,” he says.
It reinforces the diplomatic steps Kyiv is trying to take to be in the “best condition possible”, he adds.
“We need to continue to pressure Russia so that Putin stops manipulations and makes the concrete steps that all the world wants,” he continues.
“And, in particular, one of the first steps must be a silence.
“And now we are discussing it with the United States of America, another partner – silence in the sky, the cessation of strikes on the energy sector and on civilian infrastructure and people.”
Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store kicks off the news conference in Oslo, and tells Volodymyr Zelenskyy “we share your struggle”.
He says Norway shares Ukraine’s goal of being a “free, independent and sovereign state” and that no one wants peace for Ukrainians more than Norwegians.
“Your right to self defence has had our full support from day one,” he tells Zelenskyy.
He adds Norway supports Ukraine’s push to get a ceasefire and a “just and lasting peace”.
We’re now hearing from Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who’s speaking with Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store in Oslo.
Earlier, Zelenskyy addressed EU leaders on his discussion with Donald Trump – a call he described yesterday as “positive”.
We’ll share updates here – you can also watch along yourself in the live stream above or on YouTube below.
Military plans are being drawn up in case a deal to stop the fighting in Ukraine is reached, according to the UK’s Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
Speaking to Sky News, he said the planning by his so-called “coalition of the willing” – thought to include around 30 nations – had started today.
He said: “Those plans are focusing on keeping the skies safe, the seas safe, the borders safe and secure in Ukraine.
“We’re working at pace because we don’t know if there will be a deal – I certainly hope there will be.”
He added it’s important if there is a deal, “that we’re able to react straight away”.
“That’s why we’re doing this work today,” he said.
Follow the latest on Starmer’s talks and defence events today in our Politics Hub.
Be the first to get Breaking News
Install the Sky News app for free