Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated today that all nuclear power plants in Ukraine belong solely to Kyiv, dismissing suggestions from the US that American involvement in the country’s energy sector could enhance its security.
The remarks came after discussions following a call between US President Donald Trump and Zelenskyy. A readout from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz suggested that American ownership of Ukraine’s nuclear power plants would provide the best protection for the infrastructure and support for Ukrainian energy security.
Zelenskyy, responding to these comments, emphasized that Ukraine’s nuclear power plants are state-owned and belong to the Ukrainian people. “These are state-owned nuclear power plants; it is not private property in Ukraine,” he stated.
He also made it clear that the question of US ownership was not discussed with Trump. “If the Americans want to take the station from the Russians and they want to invest there and modernize it, that is a completely different issue,” Zelenskyy said. “We are open to discussing it, but the issue of property we definitely did not discuss with President Trump.”
The Ukrainian leader also announced that officials from Ukraine and the United States are set to meet in Saudi Arabia on Monday. However, these discussions will be separate from talks between Russian and U.S. officials, which are also scheduled to take place.
The issue of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure remains highly sensitive, as the country continues to defend its sovereignty amid ongoing Russian military aggression. The role of international allies, particularly the U.S., in Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction and energy security is expected to be a key topic in diplomatic engagements moving forward.
