Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that there is no agreement on an energy truce with Russia yet; however, Ukraine is open to such a truce provided that Russian attacks on energy facilities cease.
"No [there is no energy truce yet]. First of all, you have to understand our tactics. Our tactics is to respond whenever we have the opportunity. Why? Because these are our principles. Because Putin doesn’t respect and doesn’t even consider how to negotiate with the weak. He will simply attack us—that’s it. That is why we respond. We never strike first," Zelenskyy said in an interview with CBS News.
According to him, the possibility of an energy truce was discussed during a meeting in Kyiv with U.S. presidential representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. "I replied: 'Listen, we are ready for an energy truce, but you have to understand what that means for us,'" the president noted.
He explained that for Russia, the energy sector is primarily about oil and gas sales, whereas for Ukraine, it is a matter of supplying electricity to the population.
"I said: if the Russians are ready for an energy truce, that means there will be no attacks on energy facilities," Zelenskyy said.
On September 14, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a mutual agreement between Ukraine and Russia to refrain from striking energy sector facilities; he also attributed the rise in global diesel prices primarily to the war between the two countries.
Later, Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine had proposed to partner nations that they help secure an agreement with Russia to halt the destruction of critical infrastructure.
