Zelenskyy says Ukraine will pause strikes on Russia if Kremlin spares critical infrastructure

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine announced on Monday that the country is prepared to suspend its strikes on Russian territory if the Kremlin guarantees that it will refrain from targeting Ukraine's critical infrastructure. This statement followed U.S. President Donald Trump's claim in a social media post that Russia and Ukraine had reached an agreement to avoid hitting each other's energy infrastructure, though Trump did not provide further details about the purported deal.

Russia has not yet responded to Trump's assertion. Prior attempts to broker even a partial ceasefire have consistently collapsed within hours, with both sides accusing the other of violations. Trump's suggestion to end the strikes on Russian infrastructure came after he urged Zelenskyy to cease striking Russian oil refineries and other key facilities, attributing recent surges in global diesel prices to the ongoing conflict between the two nations.

Despite the rise in diesel costs, which has reached record levels in the United States, Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine's energy facilities, ports, logistics networks, food and pharmaceutical warehouses have all become targets in the war. He emphasized the need for an end to the conflict and proposed that partners assist in securing an agreement with Russia for a ceasefire. The Ukrainian president expressed anticipation for concrete proposals from his allies.