Rubio says no Ukraine-Russia energy ceasefire yet, but both sides interested in limited deal

Why it matters

Rubio's statements articulate the current US diplomatic position on ending Russia's war against Ukraine: that no energy ceasefire exists yet, but both sides have expressed interest in a limited deal, and that Washington expects the conflict to end through negotiation rather than battlefield victory. The framing marks a notable shift from earlier US framing and comes as Russian strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure intensify ahead of winter, raising humanitarian stakes.

What happened

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in an interview with WABC radio, cited by the State Department website, that there is currently no energy ceasefire agreement between Ukraine and Russia. Speaking on September 23 after meeting Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, Rubio said both Russia and Ukraine had expressed interest in a limited ceasefire covering energy and grain, and that reaching such a deal would be difficult because both sides treat strikes on each other's energy infrastructure as a strategic military objective. He said the war would end through a negotiated agreement rather than a decisive military victory by either side, and that President Donald Trump remains ready to seize any opportunity to bridge differences.

The day before, on September 22, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met Trump on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, with the energy ceasefire among the main topics. Zelensky said the United States did not insist Ukraine unilaterally stop strikes on Russian energy facilities and that Ukraine is ready for any format of energy ceasefire, with the Americans promising to share Ukraine's proposals with the Russians. He also expressed hope the war would end before winter and called for involving Chinese leader Xi Jinping in negotiations, citing his influence on Putin. During his UNGA speech the same day, Trump said the war's end would come "sooner than people realize" and mentioned possible additional sanctions on Russia and its oil-market counterparties.

How Ukrainian sources describe it

Ukrainian coverage centers Rubio's acknowledgment that both sides have expressed interest in a limited energy and grain ceasefire as the basis for continued US mediation, while foregrounding his statement that no agreement exists yet. Reporting emphasizes Zelensky's September 22 meeting with Trump, describing it as 'positive' and 'productive', and highlights Zelensky's claim that the US did not insist on Ukraine unilaterally stopping strikes on Russian energy facilities as a Ukrainian diplomatic outcome. Outlets also underline Zelensky's call for involving Chinese leader Xi Jinping, cite the composition of both delegations, and present Rubio's prediction that the war will end through negotiations rather than a decisive military victory as a significant shift in US framing.

Where reporting differs

Rubio acknowledged a tension in his own framing: both Russia and Ukraine have designated strikes on each other's energy infrastructure as a strategic military objective, making an energy ceasefire difficult to achieve, even as he said both sides had expressed interest in such a deal. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov initially ruled out an energy ceasefire, calling energy Ukraine's 'Achilles' heel,' then days later called a possible energy ceasefire 'a very good idea,' an apparent contradiction in Russia's stated position. Trump claimed on September 14 that Ukraine and Russia had agreed not to strike each other's energy facilities, while Rubio later stated there is no energy ceasefire agreement between the two countries — an unresolved tension between the two US-side claims.

Background

On September 13, Trump publicly called on Zelensky to stop Ukrainian strikes on Russian diesel fuel infrastructure. On September 14, Trump claimed both Ukraine and Russia had agreed not to strike each other's energy facilities; Zelensky said Kyiv was ready for a mutual halt if partners could guarantee Russia's compliance. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov shifted within days from calling energy Ukraine's 'Achilles' heel' and ruling out an energy ceasefire to calling the idea 'a very good idea' on September 15. US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner visited Kyiv and Moscow in early September for talks that included a possible limited ceasefire. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha stated that in March 2025 Ukraine agreed to a full, immediate, and unconditional ceasefire and called on Russia to do the same. Ukraine, the EU and around 50 UN member states jointly called on Russia to agree to a ceasefire. Head of the Office of the President Kyrylo Budanov suggested the parties could return to trilateral format talks as early as October.