Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Kyiv was prepared to support a US proposal for a limited ceasefire covering energy infrastructure, but only if Washington could ensure Russia was genuinely committed to ending the war.
Zelenskiy made the remarks in his nightly video address on Monday, after US President Donald Trump said Russia and Ukraine had agreed to stop attacking each other’s energy targets.
“If this can become the first de-escalatory step, a step towards ending Russian strikes against our critical infrastructure and our strikes in response, Ukraine is ready to support de-escalation,” Zelenskiy said.
However, he said Kyiv had yet to see any genuine indication that Moscow was prepared to end the war.
“So far, no one has seen any genuine willingness on Russia’s part to bring the war to an end. But if our American partners can secure Russia’s genuine readiness to end the war aimed at destroying lives, and to do so honestly and on a long-term basis, Ukraine will take its own de-escalatory steps,” he said.
Russia has repeatedly targeted Ukrainian energy facilities during the more than four-year war, severely damaging heating and power infrastructure and disrupting industries and civilian life.
Ukraine, meanwhile, has launched attacks on Russian industrial facilities in recent months, particularly oil infrastructure, contributing to serious petrol shortages in several regions of Russia.
Zelenskiy had earlier posted comments on social media appearing to clarify that Ukraine had not formally endorsed Trump’s announcement that both sides had agreed to halt attacks on energy infrastructure.
He said Kyiv remained unconvinced that Russia would honour any such agreement.
Any deal, Zelenskiy stressed, must be “reliable, long-term, and actually have a real impact on people’s lives”.
Trump, in his own social media post, said the agreement had already been reached.
“Ukraine has agreed not to hit Russian Energy targets. Russia has agreed to do, likewise!” he wrote.
