Ukraine has proposed an energy truce to Russia
Ukraine has proposed that Russia agree to cease attacks on energy facilities. Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Kyiv is prepared to refrain from attacking Russian oil refineries and other energy infrastructure if Moscow also stops attacking the Ukrainian power grid. According to the president, the U.S. should convey this proposal to the Russian side.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Kyiv is ready for an energy truce with Russia. This involves a mutual cessation of attacks on energy facilities. According to the president, Ukraine is prepared to refrain from striking Russian oil refineries and other energy infrastructure if Russia does not attack Ukrainian energy facilities.
Ukraine Proposes a Ceasefire on Energy Targets
Zelenskyy explained that during his meeting with Trump, he discussed not only ending the war but also a possible separate ceasefire regarding the energy sector. The president stated that Ukraine is ready to cease strikes on Russian oil refineries and other energy facilities. But such an agreement, he said, must be mutual. “We discussed an energy ceasefire. We are ready for it. Of course, we are ready to stop strikes on their oil refineries and energy infrastructure if they do not strike ours,” Zelenskyy said.
He emphasized that the proposal applies not only to individual oil refineries. According to the president, Ukraine is ready to refrain from attacking Russian energy facilities in general, provided Moscow does the same. “If you don’t attack ours, we’ll leave yours alone. That is our proposal,” Zelenskyy stated. He added that such an agreement could be one of the steps toward broader negotiations to end the war.
The U.S. is to convey the proposal to Russia
Zelenskyy also said that the U.S. side will convey this proposal to Russia. The president thanked the U.S. for its willingness to convey Kyiv’s position to Moscow. At the same time, he stated that he is not yet certain of Russia’s readiness to move toward ending the war. “I’m not sure that Russia is ready for this,” Zelenskyy said.
He also expressed hope that the United States would be able to influence Moscow and help organize negotiations. According to the president, even Russia’s willingness to discuss such a proposal could signal its readiness for further negotiations.
Zelenskyy Wants a Meeting with Putin
Separately, after his meeting with Trump, Zelenskyy spoke about a possible meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Ukrainian president stated that he is ready for such a meeting and is counting on Trump’s role in organizing the talks. “Trump wants to end the war. He said he would do everything possible to put an end to this war,” Zelenskyy said.
In his view, one of the key steps the U.S. president could take would be to organize a direct meeting between the three leaders—those of Ukraine, the U.S., and Russia. “The most important move Trump can make is to organize a trilateral meeting where all sensitive issues can be discussed by the three leaders,” Zelenskyy said.
He added that he is ready to meet with Putin at any time. At the same time, Zelenskyy does not know whether China and its leader, Xi Jinping, will be involved in such a process. According to the Ukrainian president, Trump has influence over Putin and can use it to advance the negotiation process.
Ukraine Wants to Produce Missiles for the Patriot System
Another topic of discussion with Trump was the production in Ukraine of missiles for the American Patriot systems. Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine had asked the U.S. president to help expedite the process of obtaining the necessary licenses. “We asked the president to help us speed up this process. He has a positive attitude toward the licenses,” said the Ukrainian president.
According to Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian side has already held talks with the American company RTX, which manufactures the Patriot systems and their missiles. Ukraine wants to be able to produce these missiles on its own. This should reduce dependence on supplies of finished ammunition from abroad and give Ukraine its own manufacturing capabilities.
At the same time, launching such production will take time. Zelenskyy estimated that the project could take about a year or a year and a half to implement. “I don’t know if it will take a year or a year and a half, but this is for the future,” the president noted. He added that even after creating its own Ukrainian missile defense system, the country still plans to use the Patriot system.
What Is Known About the Meeting Between Zelenskyy and Trump
The meeting between Zelenskyy and Trump took place in New York while world leaders were attending the UN General Assembly. Among the main topics of discussion were Russia’s war against Ukraine, the possibility of ending it, the protection of Ukraine’s energy sector, and continued military support.
After the meeting, Zelenskyy separately discussed the proposal for an energy ceasefire. The essence of the proposal is a mutual agreement to refrain from striking energy infrastructure. At present, this is specifically Ukraine’s proposal. It remains unclear whether Russia will agree to it or whether corresponding negotiations will begin. Zelenskyy discussed this during a press briefing following his meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump.
On September 22, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with U.S. President Donald Trump in New York. The talks took place on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly and lasted about 40 minutes, after which the presidents concluded the meeting without publicly announcing any specific new agreement.
