Zelenskyy says Ukraine is ready for an energy ceasefire, urges Putin to honor Trump’s agreement
(Photo: Ukraine Brief collage)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has declared that Kyiv supports the energy ceasefire announced by Donald Trump and is prepared to halt strikes on Russian energy infrastructure if Moscow takes equivalent steps. At the same time, Ukraine is awaiting specific details from Washington regarding its agreements with Russia.

Zelenskyy made the remarks in a statement responding to the US president’s announcement that an energy ceasefire had been reached.

โ€œThis is good news for everyone, and it is important that it becomes a reality. Ukraine supports all genuine and reliable formats for a ceasefire and an end to the war,โ€ the president emphasized.

According to Zelenskyy, Ukraine is ready to stop attacking Russian energy facilities provided that Russia also ends its strikes.

โ€œUkraine is ready to refrain from striking Russian energy infrastructure, and we expect Russia to demonstrate the same readiness and to honor the agreement reached by the President of the United States. We welcome such an agreement,โ€ he stated.

Zelenskyy also recalled that Kyiv had repeatedly proposed measures to de-escalate the conflict, but Russian President Vladimir Putin had rejected those initiatives.

โ€œWe sincerely hope that he will finally tell America, Ukraine, and the entire world something different. Something other than killing and deception. Something that will lead to a real and dignified peace. Ukraine wants peace. The question is whether Russia does,โ€ the president stressed.

Zelenskyy also announced that Ukraine’s Armed Forces had already received the relevant orders. However, he emphasized the need for clear explanations regarding Washington’s negotiations with Moscow.

โ€œWe expect clear details of the dialogue between America and Russia, and we expect Putin to fulfill what President Trump announced,โ€ the Ukrainian leader stated.

However, the White House has clarified that Trump was not referring to a complete halt to attacks on energy infrastructure.

According to Axios, citing a White House official, the US president’s understanding of an energy ceasefire involves a potential agreement under which Ukraine and Russia would stop attacking each other’s oil refineries.

The official indicated that this is precisely what Washington expects from Kyiv. The White House also pointed out that Ukraine has only one oil refinery, which is not operating at full capacity.

This explanation leaves a crucial issue unresolved: whether the ceasefire would also cover Russian strikes on Ukrainian power plants, substations, and other critical energy infrastructure.

After all, halting attacks exclusively on oil refineries would not amount to the comprehensive energy ceasefire based on reciprocity that Zelenskyy has emphasized.

Thus, despite Trump’s announcement that an agreement has been reached, its actual terms remain unclear. Ukraine has expressed its readiness for a mutual halt to energy strikes but is now awaiting clarification from the United States and concrete steps from Russia.

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