If Russia does not agree to energy truce, we will respond, – Zelenskyy

Ukraine will respond to Russia if it does not agree to an energy truce

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that Ukraine will respond to Russian attacks on its energy infrastructure if Russia does not agree to an energy ceasefire this winter.

The head of state made this statement during the Warsaw Security Forum, according to Censor.NET.

Details

"This winter, if Russia does not agree to a ceasefire in the energy sector, we will respond. That is why yesterday’s post by the US President sparked genuine interest and real hope that an energy ceasefire will actually work," he said.

According to the president, immediately after Trump’s post about the truce, Russia launched a targeted strike on a power station in Kharkiv,causing further damage to our power grid.

"It was obvious that Putin doesn’t read Truth Social," the president added.

Zelenskyy thanked the US and expressed his support for the idea of an energy ceasefire.

"And now Russia must also show that it agrees to this energy ceasefire. And if the Americans need it, we are ready to sign these guarantees to ensure that they can be trusted," he concluded.

What led up to this?

On 9 October, US President Donald Trump stated that he had held talks with the Russian dictator Putin, with whom he had agreed on the supply of diesel fuel from Russia to US and global markets.
According to him, Russia will "immediately" supply over 300,000 tonnes of diesel to the US and global markets, a further 500,000 tonnes in November, and another million tonnes "immediately afterwards".
The US Treasury Department announced that, on Trump’s instructions, the Office of Foreign Assets Control is immediately issuing a temporary general licence to permit the supply of Russian diesel fuel to the global market.
In response, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described Russia’s authorisation to sell petroleum products as an "investment in war" and called on the US to hold firm talks with Moscow and impose sanctions under the Lindsey Graham Act.
Axios reported that during talks in Miami, US President’s Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner allegedly warned the Ukrainian side that access to US intelligence might be cut off if Ukraine continued to strike Russian oil refineries.
On 11 October, President Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine would be prepared to halt strikes on Russian oil refineries if Russia ceased its attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
On the same day, US President Donald Trump announced the start of an energy truce between Ukraine and Russia.
In comments to Axios, Zelenskyy said that US President Donald Trump’s announcement of the start of an ‘energy truce’ came as a surprise to the Ukrainian side.
Later, the president stated that Ukraine was prepared to refrain from striking at Russian energy infrastructure, provided that Russia took similar steps.