Ukraine will support energy ceasefire if US ensures Moscow's intent, Zelenskiy says

Kyiv, September 14 - President Volodymyr Zelenskiy stated on Monday that Ukraine is prepared to back a U.S. plan for a Russia-Ukraine ceasefire targeting energy facilities, provided Washington can guarantee Moscow's genuine intention to cease its war on Ukraine. In his nightly video address, Zelenskiy highlighted this proposal following U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement that both nations had agreed to refrain from attacking each other's energy installations.

Zelenskiy emphasized Ukraine's readiness to participate in de-escalation efforts if they could be the initial step toward ending Russian assaults on vital infrastructure and in response. However, Zelenskiy expressed skepticism about Russia's genuine willingness to end the conflict, which has lasted four and a half years and has frequently targeted Ukrainian energy facilities, causing significant damage to heating and power networks.

The Ukrainian military has also been waging a counterattack on Russian industrial sites, particularly Russia's oil industry, which is crucial to the Russian economy. Zelenskiy's comments came after he denied on social media that Ukraine had formally accepted Trump's assertion that both sides had agreed to suspend attacks. He stressed that any agreement must be "reliable, long-term, and actually have a real impact on people's lives."

In a separate comment on social media, Trump stated that Ukraine and Russia had both agreed not to strike each other's energy targets.