Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine is prepared to halt attacks on Russian energy infrastructure if Moscow honors a temporary ceasefire, following President Trump’s announcement of a limited pause in Russian strikes.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said overnight that Ukraine is ready to suspend drone and missile strikes on Russia’s energy infrastructure if Moscow abides by a weeklong truce and refrains from attacking Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, signaling potential steps toward de-escalation amid intense winter conditions.
The statement came shortly after President Donald Trump told reporters Thursday afternoon that Russia had agreed to pause strikes on Kyiv and other urban centers for one week. Zelensky said Ukraine’s position is directly tied to Russian compliance with that pledge.
“If Russia does not strike our energy infrastructure — generation facilities or any other energy assets — we will not strike theirs,” Zelensky told reporters in Kyiv. “We want to end the war and we are ready for de-escalation steps.”
Kyiv has been experiencing severe cold, with widespread power outages following recent Russian strikes on thermal power plants and other critical infrastructure. Large parts of the metropolitan area remain without electricity, forcing businesses and residents to rely on generators. In areas where power has been restored, the sound of generators continues through the night, while other neighborhoods are left in near-total darkness.
Trump said he personally raised the issue of the cold weather with Russian President Vladimir Putin. “Because of the extreme cold…I personally asked President Putin not to fire on Kyiv and the cities and towns for a week,” Trump told reporters on Thursday. According to Trump, Putin agreed to the request, prompting the president to say, “we’re very happy” with the outcome.
The comments have fueled speculation about behind-the-scenes discussions aimed at limiting attacks on energy infrastructure. Earlier in the day, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on reports suggesting Moscow and Kyiv had reached an understanding on an “energy ceasefire.”
A similar pause in strikes on energy facilities appeared to take hold briefly early in the Trump administration but ultimately failed to become formalized or sustained. Ukrainian authorities have not officially acknowledged any new agreement beyond Zelensky’s conditional statement.
The possibility of a truce follows renewed violence earlier this week. On Wednesday, Russian drones struck Kyiv and surrounding areas, killing two people, injuring others, and damaging a residential building.
Despite Zelensky’s remarks, residents and local journalists expressed cautious skepticism. One sign of calm has been the absence of alerts from the widely used “Air Alert!” warning system, which has issued no notifications for Kyiv in the past 24 hours.
Analysts and residents alike note that even a temporary energy ceasefire carries risks. A pause could allow both sides time to replenish drones and missiles, raising concerns that hostilities could resume with increased intensity once any truce expires.
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