The White House on March 19 proposed Ukraine pass its nuclear facilities to the U.S. as part of the ongoing ceasefire talks. "The United States could be very helpful in running those plants with its electricity and utility expertise.

The U.S. is seeking access to Ukrainian minerals, which require extensive energy to process. The Zaporizhzhia power plant in southern Ukraine, which Russia controls, could help with that, Kyiv says.

Ukraine and Russia agreed to pause attacks on energy infrastructure following a call between President Trump and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy and a day after Trump held similar talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

An agreement to suspend such attacks will affect a strategy key to both countries’ efforts to weaken the other. It would also be a significant step toward de-escalation.

Vladimir Putin has rejected an immediate and full ceasefire in Ukraine, agreeing only to halt attacks on energy infrastructure, following a call with US President Donald Trump. The Russian president declined to sign up to the comprehensive month-long ceasefire that Trump's team recently worked out with Ukrainians in Saudi Arabia.