The Role of Power Plants in Ukraine-Russia Peace Negotiations

Introduction

President Donald Trump has confirmed that power plants are a significant focus in the upcoming negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, specifically stating they will be discussed during his call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, March 18, 2025.

FAF examines the critical role that energy infrastructure, particularly power plants, plays in the ongoing peace talks and what their inclusion tells us about the nature of potential settlements.

Strategic Importance of Power Plants in Negotiations

Power plants have emerged as a key asset under discussion in the peace negotiations, alongside territorial concessions. Trump explicitly identified energy infrastructure as a major component of talks when speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One.

“We will be talking about land. We will be talking about power plants. That’s a big thing,” Trump stated, underscoring the significance of energy infrastructure in the negotiations.

He further elaborated that both Ukraine and Russia have already engaged in substantial discussions about “dividing up certain assets,” with power plants specifically mentioned among these assets.

The inclusion of power plants in these discussions highlights their strategic value beyond mere infrastructure. Control over energy resources represents control over one of the most fundamental aspects of a functioning state, making it a powerful bargaining chip in peace negotiations.

The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant

The most significant power facility at stake is the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Europe’s largest nuclear facility, which has been under Russian occupation since 2022. This plant is specifically referenced in discussions by Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff.

“There is a nuclear reactor that supplies quite a bit of electricity to the country of Ukraine. That’s got to be dealt with,” Witkoff stated when discussing key strategic elements that must be addressed in ceasefire arrangements. Although currently under Russian control, the plant is not producing electricity, creating a complex situation where Russia holds a crucial asset that could potentially power significant portions of Ukraine.

Ukraine and its allies have consistently demanded that Russia withdraw forces from this critical infrastructure. Since the Russian occupation began, the plant has been repeatedly disconnected from Ukraine’s power grid due to attacks on the country’s energy infrastructure. The future status of this facility represents one of the most consequential aspects of any potential agreement.

The Energy Crisis Context

The negotiations over power plants take place against the backdrop of a severe energy crisis in Ukraine, making these discussions even more crucial for the Ukrainian side.

Systematic Targeting of Energy Infrastructure

Russia has conducted over 1,000 attacks on Ukraine’s power grid since the beginning of the war, bringing the country close to achieving a decisive advantage on the energy front. These repeated strikes on key infrastructure have left Ukraine’s damaged electrical grid approximately 70% reliant on three complexes of nuclear reactors.

The systematic nature of these attacks suggests that control over Ukraine’s energy resources has been a deliberate strategic objective for Russia throughout the conflict.

By targeting electricity infrastructure, Russia has transformed the war into “an urban battle between darkness and light,” creating leverage that can now be applied in negotiations.

Humanitarian Impact

The energy situation in Ukraine has deteriorated significantly, with demand exceeding available supply. Winter demand reaches approximately 18 gigawatts, while Ukraine can only generate 12-13 gigawatts domestically. This shortfall has resulted in frequent and prolonged blackouts for Ukrainian civilians.

Ukrainian sources report that household electricity outages in 2024 totaled nearly 2,000 hours. In November alone, power was down 25% of the time, and in December, that figure rose to nearly 40%.

These statistics highlight the human cost of the energy crisis and underscore why control of power plants is a critical humanitarian issue in addition to being a strategic one.

Power Plants as Assets for Division

Trump’s specific phrasing about “dividing up certain assets” including power plants suggests that the future control of energy infrastructure could be partitioned between Ukraine and Russia as part of a settlement.

This approach frames power plants as physical assets with defined ownership rather than as sovereign territory that must remain intact.

By categorizing power plants alongside land in the “asset division” framework, the negotiations appear to be based on a transactional model where control over strategic resources can be allocated between the parties.

This framing may be more acceptable to both sides than discussions focused solely on territorial integrity.

Russian Strategic Objectives

For Russia, maintaining control over certain power plants, particularly those in territories it currently occupies, would provide significant leverage over Ukraine’s future development and stability. By controlling energy infrastructure, Russia could maintain influence even without formal political control over all claimed Ukrainian territory.

The Russian government has made clear that any peace agreement must include “ironclad security guarantees,” primarily focused on Ukraine’s exclusion from NATO and neutral status. Control of critical energy infrastructure would complement these political objectives by ensuring continued Russian influence over Ukraine’s economic viability.

Conclusion

Power plants have emerged as a central component of the Ukraine-Russia peace negotiations for several interconnected reasons:

They represent critical strategic assets with both military and civilian implications

The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in particular serves as a significant bargaining chip

Russia’s systematic targeting of energy infrastructure has created leverage for negotiations

The humanitarian impact of energy shortages increases pressure on Ukraine to seek a resolution

The framing of power plants as “assets” to be “divided” creates a transactional approach to peace

As Trump prepares for his call with Putin, the discussion of power plants will likely focus not just on physical control of facilities but on broader questions of energy security, economic viability, and long-term influence in the region.

The manner in which energy infrastructure is addressed may set precedents for how other strategic assets are handled in any eventual peace settlement between Ukraine and Russia.