Zelensky Offers Energy Truce if Russia Halts Strikes on Ukrainian Grid
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says Kyiv is ready to stop attacking Russian oil refineries if Moscow ends its strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, as the Kremlin dismisses him as hysterical and Moscow urges Europe to change course.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said Kyiv is prepared to halt attacks on Russian oil refineries if Moscow stops striking Ukraine's energy infrastructure, offering a conditional de-escalation after a pointed rebuke from US President Donald Trump.
In a message posted on Telegram, Zelensky wrote that «Ukraine is ready to stop attacks on Russian oil refineries if Russia ceases hitting our energy infrastructure». He stressed that «any step toward de-escalation must be reciprocal and accompanied by genuine guarantees».
The offer marks a shift in tone from Kyiv, which has in recent months targeted Russian refining capacity in an effort to reduce Moscow's oil revenues. Zelensky framed the proposal as a test of Russian intentions rather than a concession, saying the true cause of the war in Europe is Russia «and only Russia». He added that attacks on energy infrastructure could be stopped «concretely today», but that Vladimir Putin does not want to do so.
Zelensky also said he would hold talks with European leaders, describing daily coordination with partners to secure additional defense packages, particularly air-defense systems and ammunition for combat aviation. «All of this serves to protect the lives of our citizens and Ukraine's interests», he wrote.
The Kremlin responded sharply. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov accused Zelensky of «hysteria», telling the Russian journalist Pavel Zarubin that the Ukrainian leader is «hardly capable of well-considered actions» in such a state. Peskov argued that if Zelensky were capable of measured steps, he would already have shown an inclination toward peace negotiations.
Moscow's criticism came as Russia pressed Europe to change its approach to the war, following Trump's new posture. Kirill Dmitriev, Putin's envoy for economic cooperation and a figure involved in US-Russia talks on diesel supplies, wrote on X that the governments of the United Kingdom and the European Union — «their warmongers, overrun by migrants and short of diesel, oil and gas» — should stop inflaming the war. «The world, the British people and Europeans want peace. And they want the Ukrainian leadership to want peace too», he added.
The exchange underscores how the diplomatic landscape has shifted since Trump's intervention, which left Kyiv navigating pressure from Washington while trying to keep European allies aligned. Zelensky's public offer on energy strikes appears designed to present Ukraine as the party willing to de-escalate, while placing the burden on Moscow to reciprocate.
For now, there is no indication that Russia has accepted the proposal. The Kremlin's language suggests Moscow sees the offer as a sign of weakness rather than a basis for talks. European capitals, which Zelensky said he would contact, have yet to respond publicly to the initiative.
The energy truce proposal also carries practical weight. Ukraine's power grid has suffered repeated damage, leaving civilians exposed to outages as winter approaches, while Russian refineries have been hit by Ukrainian drones. A mutual halt would ease pressure on both sides, but Zelensky's insistence on «authentic guarantees» signals that Kyiv is wary of a one-sided pause that would allow Russia to regroup and strike again later.
Whether the offer leads to any formal channel remains uncertain. What is clear is that the diplomatic maneuvering around the war has intensified, with Washington, Moscow and European governments all adjusting their positions — and Ukraine trying to ensure it is not sidelined in the process.
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