Prisoner swap goes ahead; Trump-Zelenskyy call under way

US denies deleting data which could help track abducted Ukrainian children

We've been bringing you all the latest after the phone call between presidents Trump and Zelenskyy today.

One of the many topics mentioned by the leaders was children abducted from Ukraine - something Sky News has covered in depth since the war began.

Now, the US State Department has denied that data collected in a government-funded programme that helps track thousands of abducted Ukrainian kids has been deleted.

But the department did acknowledge that the scheme had been terminated as part of the Trump administration's sweeping freeze on almost all foreign aid.

'The data exists'

Politicians from the Democratic Party wrote to Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, to raise the alarm about the possible loss of data and satellite imagery - thought to be tracking around 30,000 children.

But Tammy Bruce, a State Department spokeswoman, insisted "the data exists", adding today: "It was not in the State Department's control. It was the people running that framework, but we know who is running the data and the website, and we know fully that the data exists and it's not been deleted and it's not missing."

Bruce also referenced Trump and Zelenskyy discussing the issue, as evidence the US is still taking it seriously.

"The president of the most powerful country in the world, saying, 'I'm going to do something here'... I think that's a pretty good, clear indication that we can still work on issues that matter and make them happen without it being in a certain structure that has existed," she said.

Putin's arrest warrant

Conducted by Yale University's Humanitarian Research Lab, the tracking research was part of an effort that began under President Joe Biden to document potential violations of international law and crimes against humanity by Russia during its invasion of Ukraine.

The Trump administration paused the scheme on 25 January.

Ukraine has called the abductions of tens of thousands of its children taken to Russia or Russian-occupied territory without the consent of family or guardians a war crime that meets the UN's definition of genocide.

Russia has said it has been evacuating people voluntarily and to protect vulnerable children from the war zone.

In March 2023, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and his children's rights commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova for the alleged war crime of deportation of Ukrainian children.

'Large number of Russian drones attacking Ukraine'

Andriy Yermak, the head of Volodymyr Zelenskyy's office, has said this evening that Russia is still attacking Ukraine.

"Once again, a large number of Russian drones are attacking Ukraine, flying against civilians," he said.

"Russia must stop these strikes in more than just words," he added in a post on Telegram.

Trump is capable of turning - but could his patience really run out with Russia?

In these talks for a ceasefire, the Russians first want all of their issues addressed, our military analyst Michael Clarke said today.

That's a stark contrast to the Ukrainians, who haven't set conditions for a pause - and this puts strain on the Americans, who want a "quick-ish" deal.

Clarke added: "The question is how much patience have the Americans got to play this game?

"The Russians are very good at this, and I keep saying Putin is an old KGB man, he's been doing this his whole career, he knows how to do all this.

"I'm not so sure the Americans with their business background are really so accomplished at this sort of thing.

"The business community want to move in, make a quick-ish deal and move on, but in political terms, these things can go on for a very long time."

Will Trump turn on Putin?

Trump is capable of "turning on a dime" against Putin, Clarke added, but so far there is nothing to indicate that's likely to happen.

"Putin's calculating how long he can needle Trump into more concessions - what will he get? Or will Trump turn on him and say 'enough'," Clarke said.

"The longer this goes on, the bigger the turnaround would be."

Trump and Zelenskyy's relationship: From 'perfect' phone call to Oval Office clash

The relationship between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been complex over the years.

Relations between the two presidents extend as far back as 2019, the year the Ukrainian leader took office.

It has since weathered the start of the war in Ukraine, Trump's re-election and last month's heated exchange in the Oval Office, in which Zelenskyy was accused of being "disrespectful" to his country's most powerful ally.

Here, news reporter Lauren Russell looks back at the key moments that have helped shape the pair's relationship and how it has changed over the years.

How Trump's calls with Zelenskyy and Putin compare

In this post, we'll examine the differences and similarities we've noticed in the readouts and information surrounding Donald Trump's calls with Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy respectively. 

Length

Trump said his call with Zelenskyy lasted around an hour, while his chat with Putin went on for around an hour and a half. 

That could be because they had more to discuss - or because the US leader's call with his Russian counterpart may have required translation at both ends - whereas Zelenskyy speaks strong English. 

Tone

Our correspondent David Blevins noted that Trump's message after the chat with Zelenskyy was markedly calm in tone - without the capitals letters usually sprayed across his social media posts. 

It's similar to his post yesterday on his call with Putin, where there was only one word in capital letters - the word 'end', as in to end the conflict.

The readouts

The readout of the Putin call was 226 words and released by the White House, whereas the Zelenskyy one was issued by Marco Rubio and Mike Waltz on behalf of the president and was a whopping 480 words. 

Last night's Russian strikes mapped - after Ukrainians report damage to power plants and hospitals despite Putin-Trump agreement

Volodymyr Zelenskyy said today that Russian drone strikes on Ukraine last night targeted energy facilities, despite Vladimir Putin agreeing with Donald Trump on Tuesday to stop attacking Ukrainian energy infrastructure. 

Sky News has pinpointed the locations of several Russian strikes which happened overnight in the Donetsk, Dnipro, Kharkiv, and Sumy oblasts. Downed Russian drones were also found on the outskirts of Kyiv. 

The map below shows where strikes verified by Sky News occurred, and where major energy facilities are in those areas. The blue pins show Russian strikes from last night, and the yellow pins show major Ukrainian energy facilities. 

In a post on X last night, Zelenskyy said attack drones had been spotted over the Kyiv, Zhytomyr, Sumy, Chernihiv, Poltava, Kharkiv, Kirovohrad, Dnipropetrovsk, and Cherkasy regions.  

As negotiations continue, Ukraine's energy infrastructure could still be a target, despite the Trump-Putin call this week - according to security and defence analyst Professor Michael Clarke.  

"There are so many different infrastructure targets in a big country like Ukraine that it will always be a point of contention as to which of them might be classed as clearly, and only, 'energy infrastructure' targets. 

"So, the very limited ceasefire agreed by phone between presidents Trump and Putin is looking shaky from the beginning."

What does Ukraine say Russia targeted after Putin-Trump call?

Speaking in Helsinki with the Finnish president this morning, Zelenskyy said 150 drones struck energy infrastructure and transport in Ukraine overnight between Tuesday and Wednesday.  

Zelenskyy added Ukraine was willing to provide a list of its energy infrastructure facilities to implement a halt on strikes.  

Ukrzaliznytsia, the state administration of railway transport in Ukraine, said in a post on X that Russian strikes had hit their energy facilities in the Dnipro region overnight.  

Large energy facilities have been targeted in Ukraine before, but smaller-scale infrastructure is also a target.  

The Donetsk prosecutor's office reported shelling in Sloviansk, in the Donetsk region. Local reporting said that part of the city is now without electricity. 

Civilian infrastructure was also hit overnight. 

In Sumy oblast, two hospitals were hit by Russian strikes, Sumy Regional Hospital and Krasnopil Hospital. 

The State Emergency Service of Ukraine said in statements made on Telegram that all patients from both hospitals had been successfully evacuated. 

Could US nuclear power takeover replace the minerals deal?

The readout of the call from President Zelenskyy was conciliatory, repeatedly thanking Donald Trump for military support and for his peace efforts.

In agreeing to a partial ceasefire, he held out the prospect of US investment in Ukrainian power - perhaps deeming that more of a security guarantee than the minerals deal (see previous post for more on Trump's team apparently moving on from this).

"American ownership of those plants would be the best protection for that infrastructure and support for Ukrainian energy infrastructure."

Trump agreed to continue sharing intelligence but when Zelenskyy asked for additional air defence, he said he'd see what was available in Europe.

That's a vague response from the US president as he seeks to keep both Ukraine and Putin on board.

Those ambiguous words and the change in tone are both indicative of the sensitive point they've reached days before fresh negotiations in Saudi Arabia.

US has moved 'beyond' minerals deal

The US has moved "beyond" a previously agreed minerals deal with Ukraine, Karoline Leavitt said during her news conference a short time ago. 

"Now, we have moved beyond the economic minerals deal, we are at a place of peace, we're at a partial ceasefire," she said.

She offered no further details. 

The deal was put on hold following the disastrous Volodymyr Zelenskyy visit to the White House last month, but it was understood it would be picked up again once relations recovered. 

Peace, power plants and POWs: Washington's take on Trump-Zelenskyy call - in full

This statement comes to us from Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, and Mike Waltz, Donald Trump's national security adviser after the president's call with Volodymyr Zelenskyy. 

"Today, President Donald J. Trump and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a fantastic phone conversation. President Zelenskyy thanked President Trump for a productive start for the work of the Ukrainian and American teams in Jeddah on 11th March. The meeting of the senior officials from both nations significantly helped in moving towards ending the war.

"President Zelenskyy thanked President Trump for the support of the United States, especially the Javelin missiles that President Trump was first to provide, and his efforts towards peace. The leaders agreed Ukraine and America will continue working together to bring about a real end to the war, and that lasting peace under President Trump's leadership can be achieved.

"President Trump fully briefed President Zelenskyy on his conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin and the key issues discussed. They reviewed the situation in Kursk and agreed to share information closely between their defence staffs as the battlefield situation evolved. 

"President Zelenskyy asked for additional air defence systems to protect his civilians, particularly Patriot missile systems, President Trump agreed to work with him to find what was available, particularly in Europe.

"The two leaders also agreed on a partial ceasefire against energy. Technical teams will meet in Saudi Arabia in the coming days to discuss broadening the ceasefire to the Black Sea on the way to a full ceasefire. They agreed this could be the first step towards the full end of the war and ensuring security. 

"President Zelenskyy was grateful for the President’s leadership in this effort and reiterated his willingness to adopt a full ceasefire.

"President Trump also discussed Ukraine's electrical supply and nuclear power plants. He said that the United States could be very helpful in running those plants with its electricity and utility expertise. American ownership of those plants would be the best protection for that infrastructure and support for Ukrainian energy infrastructure.

"President Zelenskyy also thanked President Trump for continuing to push humanitarian concerns, including the exchange of POWs. He noted they had just had a successful exchange and thanked the President for his leadership. 

"President Trump also asked President Zelenskyy about the children who had gone missing from Ukraine during the war, including the ones that had been abducted. President Trump promised to work closely with both parties to help make sure those children were returned home.

"They agreed all parties must continue the effort to make a ceasefire work. The presidents noted the positive work of their advisers and representatives, especially Secretary Rubio, National Security Adviser Waltz, Special Envoy Kellogg, and others. 

"The presidents instructed their teams to move ahead with the technical issues related to implementing and broadening the partial ceasefire. The presidents instructed their advisers and representatives to carry out this work as quickly as possible. 

"The presidents emphasised that in further meetings, the teams can agree on all necessary aspects of advancing towards lasting peace and security."

White House: Intelligence sharing will continue despite Putin demand

Following on from our last post, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt also confirmed that US intelligence sharing with Ukraine would continue. 

Vladimir Putin said yesterday he wanted all intelligence sharing and arms supplies for Kyiv halted by the US and other Ukrainian allies. 

"It was emphasised that the key condition for preventing the escalation of the conflict and working towards its resolution by political and diplomatic means should be the complete cessation of foreign military aid and the provision of intelligence information to Kyiv."

It appears this demand is not being met by the Trump administration at present, as Leavitt says: "Intelligence sharing in terms of Ukraine defence will continue." 

US says peace 'never been closer' after 'fantastic' Trump-Zelenskyy call - as Ukraine asks for further air defence support

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has just read out a US statement on today's call between presidents Trump and Zelenskyy - which described the call as "fantastic" and "productive".

It "significantly helped" in efforts to end the war, it said.

Zelenskyy thanked the US for Javelin missiles in particular - which were first provided to Ukraine by Trump.

The leaders also reviewed the situation in Kursk and agreed to share information closely, the statement continued.

Trump also suggested that the US take ownership of Ukrainian power plants to ensure their security.

Zelenskyy asked for additional air defence missiles to protect Ukraine's civilians - interestingly, Trump replied by saying he'd work with him on this, but that they'd look particularly at what was available in Europe.

Further talks will take place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in the coming days, the statement added.

Zelenskyy also thanked Trump for pushing for prisoner exchanges - like the successful one today.

Zelenskyy also asked about Ukraine's missing children. Both parties agreed to work to ensure those children are returned home.

The presidents instructed their teams to move ahead with the details of implementing a partial ceasefire.

Discussions would also include expanding any ceasefire to the Black Sea.

"We have never been closer to peace," Leavitt added.

Zelenskyy: Positive, substantive and frank conversation with Trump

Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he had a "positive, very substantive and frank" conversation with Donald Trump. 

He said he began by thanking the president for his efforts to bring about a ceasefire. 

"One of the first steps toward fully ending the war could be ending strikes on energy and other civilian infrastructure. I supported this step, and Ukraine confirmed that we are ready to implement it," he said. 

"The American side also proposed an unconditional ceasefire on the frontline, and Ukraine accepted this proposal as well," he added, saying work continues to reach this step. 

"I also provided an update on the battlefield situation and the consequences of Russian strikes. 

"We spoke about the situation in the Kursk region, touched on the issue of the release of PoWs, and the return of Ukrainian children who were taken by Russian forces."

Zelenskyy also said he asked around strengthening the Ukrainian air defence. 

"Ukrainian and American teams are ready to meet in Saudi Arabia in the coming days to continue coordinating steps toward peace."

Ending his statement, the Ukrainian leader said he "highlighted the importance of President Trump's concept of peace through strength".

"We agreed to maintain constant contact, including at the highest level and through our teams."

-SKY NEWS