Zelenskyy says Ukraine is ready for an energy ceasefire with Russia, contradicting Trump
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a CBS News interview that Ukraine is ready for an energy ceasefire with Russia, contradicting Donald Trump's claim from September 14 that such an agreement was already in place. Zelenskyy tied Ukraine's readiness to US guarantees that Russia would reciprocate, and said strikes on energy infrastructure have fundamentally different consequences for the two countries: oil and gas exports for Russia, civilian electricity supply for Ukraine.
Key points
- Zelenskyy told CBS News Ukraine is ready for an energy ceasefire with Russia, while denying that one already exists.
- On September 14, Trump said Ukraine and Russia had agreed not to strike each other's energy facilities.
- Zelenskyy said Ukraine would de-escalate only if the US can guarantee Russia will also stop striking Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
- According to FT, Trump rushed his announcement because no final agreement had been reached.
- FT sources reported Putin does not want a deal before winter, believing attacks on Ukraine's energy grid could pressure Kyiv into concessions.
- US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner raised the energy ceasefire topic during a visit to Kyiv, proposing refineries and other energy facilities be discussed.
- Zelenskyy said he hopes to meet Trump in New York the following week, with maritime and energy ceasefire as key topics.
Why it matters
The exchange puts the US and Ukrainian presidents on record disagreeing about whether an energy ceasefire with Russia exists, just days before a planned meeting in New York. It also makes the asymmetry explicit: Russia treats energy infrastructure as a revenue source for oil and gas exports, while for Ukraine it is a matter of keeping civilians supplied with electricity and heating.
What happened
In a CBS News interview, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine is ready for an energy ceasefire with Russia but denied that one was already in force, contradicting US President Donald Trump's September 14 statement that Kyiv and Moscow had agreed to stop striking each other's energy facilities. Zelenskyy said Ukraine would take de-escalation steps only if the US could secure a genuine Russian commitment to halt strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, and proposed that Moscow put forward its own list of facilities it does not want hit. He framed the issue asymmetrically, noting that for Russia energy infrastructure is tied to exporting oil and gas, while for Ukraine it underpins civilian electricity and gas supply. Zelenskyy confirmed that US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner raised the topic during their visit to Kyiv and floated refineries and other energy sites as potential subjects for discussion. He also said Ukraine never strikes first and continues to respond to Russian attacks on its energy grid, and voiced hope for a meeting with Trump in New York the following week with maritime and energy ceasefires on the agenda. Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha separately said Ukraine is ready for an energy ceasefire and hopes joint efforts with international partners will lead to its achievement.
Where reporting differs
Trump claimed on September 14 that Ukraine and Russia had agreed not to strike each other's energy facilities. Zelenskyy denied that an energy ceasefire exists and said Ukraine continues to respond to Russian strikes. The Financial Times reported that Trump rushed his announcement because no final agreement had been reached, and that as of the reporting date there is no final deal between Russia and Ukraine on an energy ceasefire.
Background
Zelenskyy made his remarks in a CBS News interview following Trump's September 14 announcement of the alleged ceasefire. US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner had raised the energy ceasefire topic during a visit to Kyiv, proposing that refineries and other energy facilities be discussed. FT sources reported that Vladimir Putin does not want to conclude a deal before winter, viewing continued attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure as leverage to pressure Kyiv into concessions.