Zelenskyy signals readiness for energy ceasefire if Russia agrees
Photo: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine (Getty Images)
Ukraine will be ready to establish an energy ceasefire with Russia if Moscow agrees to such an initiative, stated President Volodymyr Zelenskyy while responding to questions from journalists.
The head of state noted that Russian forces continue to strike Ukraine's energy sector, and the Defense Forces are responding in a fully justified way.
"If the Russians are ready for an energy ceasefire, we are ready. This is very important for people," he added.
Strikes on energy infrastructure
Russian forces regularly target Ukraine's energy infrastructure facilities.
Because a large number of energy facilities have been damaged in these attacks, scheduled hourly power outages are in effect across the country every day.
Back in March, Ukraine and Russia agreed on an energy truce. But Russia violated it by striking energy facilities in frontline regions.
Around ten days after the truce began, the Russian army launched a strike on Kherson, leaving tens of thousands of people without electricity.
The very next day, the enemy attacked oil and gas infrastructure facilities in Poltava.
Following these incidents, President Zelenskyy emphasized one of the key problems with this format of ceasefire — there were no third parties to monitor compliance with the agreements.
In October, Vadym Skibitskyi, deputy chief of Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence, said the issue of an energy ceasefire with Russia should be discussed only as part of a broader ceasefire.
