Ukraine Prepared to Refrain from Striking Russia’s Critical Infrastructure if Agreement Is Reached

Ukraine has proposed to its partners that they work to secure an agreement with Russia that would provide for a cessation of strikes on critical infrastructure.

This involves protecting the energy sector, food supply chains, and other facilities necessary for people’s daily lives, said Volodymyr Zelensky.

“Every day, Ukrainian energy facilities, port infrastructure, logistics, and even warehouses storing food and pharmaceuticals are being targeted. Ukraine is not convinced that Russia has any intention of honoring any agreement,” the president said.

Kyiv expects concrete guarantees from its partners that Moscow will indeed cease attacks on Ukraine’s energy sector, critical infrastructure, and food supply routes.

If such guarantees are provided, Ukraine is prepared, for its part, to refrain from striking the relevant facilities.

At the same time, according to the Ukrainian side, the agreement must be reliable, long-term, and aimed at a real improvement in people’s lives, rather than a temporary de-escalation.

“It must be reliable, long-term, and have a real impact on people’s lives — not something that falls apart after the Russians hold their ‘elections’ and get a temporary reprieve on gasoline and diesel prices. The war must end,” Zelensky noted.

Trump’s statement

U.S. President Donald Trump stated that Ukraine and Russia have allegedly already agreed not to strike each other’s energy facilities.

“Ukraine has agreed not to strike Russian energy targets. Russia has agreed to do the same,” Trump wrote.

According to him, the rise in global diesel prices is primarily caused by Russia’s war against Ukraine, rather than the situation surrounding Iran.

Trump did not specify exactly when or under what terms Ukraine and Russia had allegedly agreed to refrain from attacking energy infrastructure. He also did not provide details on how such an agreement would be enforced.

In his post, the U.S. president linked the issue of attacks on energy facilities to the situation on the global diesel fuel market, emphasizing that, in his view, the main reason for the price increase is the Russia-Ukraine war.

In recent days, Ukraine has been actively striking various Russian fuel facilities. On September 13, in Slavyansk-on-Kuban, two oil storage tanks were destroyed following an attack by Ukrainian drones.

Related article: From Strikes on Oil Refineries to Tanker Attacks: What Was the Summer Campaign of Ukraine’s Middle and Deep Strike Units Like?