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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signaled his readiness to halt strikes on Russian energy infrastructure, provided Moscow stops attacking Ukraine’s power grid and energy facilities. His comments came after U.S. President Donald Trump claimed both sides had agreed to an energy truce, adding fresh tension to an already strained diplomatic exchange between Washington and Kyiv.
Zelenskyy Calls for Mutual Energy Ceasefire
Speaking on ABC News’ “This Week” on Sunday, Zelenskyy made his position clear. “We are ready for energy ceasefire, not to attack energy — both sides,” he said. He added that Ukraine remains open to such an arrangement if Russia genuinely commits to it.
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Zelenskyy kept his message direct. “Don’t attack us. Don’t kill our children. We will stop attack your diesel.” He also told ABC News that Ukraine would hold elections if Russia agreed to a 60-day ceasefire, though he stressed that choosing Ukraine’s leadership belongs to Ukrainians alone.
He also noted that Russian President Vladimir Putin would prefer to see different leadership in Kyiv. However, Zelenskyy pushed back firmly against outside pressure to change course.
Trump Criticizes Zelenskyy Over Peace Talks
Trump sharpened his criticism of the Ukrainian president on Saturday. “I suggest they get a new leader who can make a deal, because he could have made many deals,” Trump said. The remarks drew significant attention and further strained relations between the two leaders.
Trump has also sought to link rising global fuel prices to the Ukraine conflict rather than to the U.S.-led military campaign against Iran. Washington launched that Middle East war in February, and diesel prices have since climbed to record highs. Trump’s framing places responsibility on Ukraine, not on U.S. military action in the region.
Zelenskyy Pushes Back on Fuel Price Blame
Zelenskyy rejected that narrative directly. He argued that the Middle East war, not the conflict in Ukraine, drives rising energy costs. “Everybody in the world understands because of the war in the Middle East, the prices are rising,” he said.
When asked why Trump and Elon Musk blamed him for prolonging the war, Zelenskyy offered a pointed response. “Because these people can’t find a key how to stop Putin, because it’s more difficult to stop Putin than to pressure others,” he said. He added that it is simpler to talk about fuel prices and connect them to Ukraine than to confront the harder challenge of reining in Moscow.
The exchange highlights a deepening divide between Kyiv and Washington over how to frame the conflict and who bears responsibility for its consequences. Meanwhile, no confirmed agreement on an energy ceasefire has materialized, and fighting continues on multiple fronts.
